All in the Way
by Rin1010
Summary: AU. Now that Bo and Lauren have a daughter and know what their future will eventually entail, how do they survive and what happens next? This is the final story of the "All in..." trilogy. Complete.
1. Welcome to the Family, Briann

Title: All in the Way

Category: _Lost Girl_, Bo/Lauren

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the premise of the show. They are directly owned by the respective parties, and some of the dialogue in this is directly credited to the writers of the _Lost Girl_ series. I am not making any money for this. My research is completed, so I am also no longer collecting data. This is purely for fun now. Thank you to everyone who participated in my study.

Spoilers: Up through season 2, though mostly as references out of order. This story is AU.

Rating: M for Mature.

Story Summary: AU. Now that Bo and Lauren have a daughter and know what their future will eventually entail, how do they survive and what happens next? This is the final story of the "All in..." trilogy.

A/N: This story is part 3 of the epic that began in "All in the Family" and continued in "All in the Past." Therefore, you may find it necessary to read the first two stories before completely diving into this one. I am working on completing this story (another epic novel), so I am going to give you the first chapter now. I do have to note that while I have the story written, it is not complete yet, so it all depends on time (and my hands) whether I update daily. I will do my best, though, as I want this entire story posted before season 3 starts. The reality of that happening is yet to be foretold. Unfortunately, carpal tunnel cramps, work, and my thesis have delayed this story. I have not abandoned ship, though.

Without further ado, I present to you the continuing saga.

* * *

Five months later.

Lauren was starting to feel anxious again. She had not been down this road, down this driveway, since before she had gone to the Congo. While she could sense that Bo was doing her best not to literally bounce in her seat from the combination of nervousness and excitement, Lauren was more concerned with two things.

They were about to walk into her childhood home and let their six-month-old daughter finally meet her grandparents, who had not treated their own daughter with much warmth. Lauren had been the one more apprehensive about this trip. She had lived that coldness, and she didn't want their very much loved baby to experience that like she had to; no child should have to experience that. Even if Bo had insisted that her mother did love her, Lauren had a harder time accepting this fact than she wanted to admit out loud. It was hard to imagine the woman she grew up with, the woman she had long ago stopped trying to impress, had actually loved and cared for her all this time. Lauren wanted to call bullshit, but she knew in her heart that she couldn't.

The other thing that concerned her was that Vex was sitting in the backseat and playing with Briann. Bo had already gotten on him twice on the drive over here from the farm, especially when he was using his Mesmer powers to get Briann to feed herself so he wouldn't have to do it. She was doing a good job of holding the little bottles on her own, but she spilled more of the big bottle on herself than actually went in her mouth. Vex was having too much fun being a passive babysitter to their daughter, and his glances at Bo's exposed cleavage did not go unnoticed.

Even though Bo seemed to like using him more often for work, Lauren still had issues regarding him being around their daughter. Bo had somehow learned to trust him in her own way, and this thought actually bothered Lauren. He hadn't really done anything but help these past few years, but she still didn't trust him.

Lauren realized a lot of her issues were with residual prejudices she held about the Dark being the bad guys. Gram wasn't a bad guy and neither was Vex or Evony really, but she had encountered so many bad things from the Dark over her five year servitude with the old Ash that she was having a hard time letting bad experiences go. These were the things that were still hard to tell Bo. Luckily, her wife never pushed her about talking about the past.

Until now.

Would it be so bad to simply turn around? They could go back to the farm, snuggle up in their old room, and spend the afternoon wrapped naked in sheets while Briann took her nap. They were just now starting to get back into a healthy sexual and feeding pattern, even if it was exponentially diminished from their lives pre-Briann. Still, they had taken to timing their moments as best they could.

It wasn't like she would have a hard time convincing Bo of her plan. The succubus had taken it upon herself to make up for the lost time. Lauren didn't have the heart to tell her that she made up for it about two months ago. She kind of liked Bo being so attentive. It felt somehow exhilarating that the queen of the fae was doting on and serving her needs instead of the other way around.

Though, Lauren definitely tended to Bo's needs just as much. She liked being married to the new Fae Queen, even if hardly anybody knew that detail yet. Bo wouldn't say it out loud, but the thought scared her. Why wouldn't it? Now that she knew how she was going to change the world, Bo was trying to ignore her duties despite her need to change the world.

Once everything had settled after their marriage and the crowning ritual, Bo and Lauren actually sat down and talked about what this new information meant. Gram and Trick both were of no real use beyond telling them that they would know when it was time. Of course they would resort to being cryptic. It was like a necessity of life for them.

Since neither of them felt ready to even acknowledge what this actually meant, they both decided to hold off on doing anything about it. Nobody absolutely needed to know, not even Lachlan or Evony. Actually, they were the last people who needed to know, though Lauren suspected they already did after the fae marriage was officially documented. Lachlan was being more smug and accommodating than usual. He had even agreed to start paying Bo for her champion work, which had somehow increased in the past few months. They were still trying to decide how to approach the Evony being enslaved to Bo situation; they hadn't mentioned that they knew yet, and Evony was obviously okay with that in her interactions with them. Lauren had brief moments where she was elated that the Dark Fae leader, the same one who had seduced her years ago, was now enslaved to her. Those moments would pass when she realized just how awful it made her feel to "own" anybody. After years of being owned or enslaved to her parents, Lauren did not want to be that person herself.

Even though they had moved out to the farm permanently, they still spent a few days and nights at the clubhouse every week. Lauren would have to go for her reports to Evony and Lachlan, and Bo would be in the city for work most of the time anyways. Lauren had gone back to work full time, and she felt completely alive again. She didn't realize just how much she survived on her work until she went back to it. She was curious what would change once she did have her freedom. If she knew Bo, that would happen sooner than later, but Lauren was afraid to admit even to herself that she was scared of what would happen or who she would become after her full freedom was granted. Instead of dwelling too much on the "what if scenarios," she just wanted to focus on her life _now._

She was healthy, she had a loving wife, she had a beautiful daughter, and she had a great job. Her family was pleasant to be around now, even if she hadn't heard anything about Hadley since they discovered she was the one who sent the assassin on Bo. She hadn't talked to her mother until she called last week to set up this meeting.

Lauren was surprised at how quickly her mother accepted the intrusion on her home, though she wasn't surprised when Angela Lewis made her aware that it was rude to invite yourself over to someone's house. After talking to her mother on the phone and setting up a day and time, Lauren immediately tossed the phone on the couch and moved to wrap Briann in the biggest, most loving hug she could muster. Baby hugs could cure anything.

When she parked the car in the oversized circle driveway, the one used for guests, Lauren turned the ignition off but didn't let go of the grip she had on the steering wheel. She stared blankly at the speedometer, willing it to become possessed and take off on its own so she would have an excuse to put this day off just a little bit longer.

Bo placed a warm hand on her wrist, and Lauren closed her eyes, trying to find some reserve of courage. If the last six months hadn't been so busy, they would have done this sooner. Bo wasn't going to let her put it off forever. Lauren wished they would.

"Hey, it's not like your mum is one of those fae who eat their grandchildren. Suck it up and grow some balls, will you?" Vex exited the car without any grace whatsoever. He even slammed the car door, which woke Briann up from her short car nap.

She was already such a tall baby for her age and would need to move to the bigger car seat soon. While she wasn't heavy, her legs were starting to grow over the carrier seat. Bo said that their daughter's long legs were definitely inherited by Lauren; she said that and proceeded to show Lauren just how much she loved the originals. Even after birthing a baby, Lauren loved that her wife was able to show her how much she was still wanted. At least her stretch marks were not visible anymore except for that one silver sliver on her hip. Thank goodness for fae medical technology, though she wished she could have done more for Kenzi's burn scars on her hand.

When Bo was away for work at night and Briann was down for bed, Lauren would stay up and research what had actually happened during her labor. She reviewed her notes and journals, exhausted every text on fae and human labor she could find, and kept rereading the book Lachlan gave them, thinking she was missing something important. Whenever she saw the scar on top of Kenzi's hand, Lauren was reminded of how brutal and painful the labor actually was.

She wanted to know why. If she and Bo ever wanted to have anymore kids, she had to know why. Otherwise, Lauren didn't know that she wanted to experience that again. She really thought she was dying in that birthing chamber. She had almost given up completely, even knowing she had so much to fight and live for; all of her fight was gone, as though she were sending it with Briann as she entered the world for the first time.

Briann squealing and talking to them brought Lauren out of her inner thoughts. It was freezing winter outside right now, but the snow storms had dissipated until next week. They had already started preparing for the impending storm.

Now, they just had to survive today's storm.

"You okay?" Bo opened the car door, letting the cold air enter the overheated car as she moved around to the back door to pull Briann from her carseat. "We don't have to do this."

"You're right, though. We need to, and we're here already, so…the sooner we get this over with, the better for all of us." Lauren cleared her throat and let her grip loose from the steering wheel before exiting the car and coming to meet Bo on the other side. She took Briann, knowing that her mother was more likely to accept her if Lauren was the one holding her. "I don't want Briann old enough to know she's being rejected. I'd rather we know now than when she's old enough to truly comprehend and remember this happening."

"We don't know that she'll reject her. Your mother's still a Hestian; she's still going to react to having another branch being added to her family tree." Bo grabbed the diaper bag from the floorboard before shutting the door. They both moved to meet Vex, who was fidgeting in the doorway, obviously moving around to find warmth. He had no way of knowing that this house held no warmth. Bo smiled at Briann and kissed her head before petting her dark locks back. "And what a cute baby branch it is." Lauren accepted the secondhand kiss she got before Bo moved her body away again. "Much like her own mother."

"If she doesn't love the little bit, that's her loss." Vex moved to stand behind them, taking his job as backup seriously. He had been such a permanent fixture in their lives that Lauren hadn't even thought about how politically wrong it was to bring a Dark Fae as backup to a Light Fae's house. No doubt her mother would scold her for that oversight.

"At least she's letting us come for brunch. I mean, how bad could it be? You don't invite someone for brunch if you don't want them there." Bo was letting Lauren take the lead here, even if anybody could read that she was anxious to go inside. Eventually, the cold weather and Lauren's need to get her daughter to at least a warm temperature won out over her fear.

It was the longest, deepest toned doorbell she had ever heard in her life. It always made her think death was at their door because it was such a low, ominous tone that echoed through the expansive mansion.

The butler ushered them inside and down the hall towards the casual dining room. The last meal Lauren had eaten in there was breakfast the day before she drove back to her residency job. That was two months before she left for the Congo. That was five months before she had learned about the fae. She had been treated like a second class citizen in a place she should have considered her home. This was just a house to her now. Her home was with Bo, Briann, Kenzi, and Alexie.

Bo was feeling overwhelmed, she could tell. This house was impressive on the inside and out. Angela Lewis had spent her time and savings to make sure they had a home big enough and nice enough to impress a lot of people. Lauren could only hope being here didn't regress Bo back into that insecure "I'm not good enough for you" mentality. She didn't think she could handle storing dozens of briefcases full of cash under their bed again, especially since that meant Bo would be gone for weeks or months at a time to earn them.

This was definitely going to be another eventful meal.

* * *

"Lauren, baby, I'm sorry for this." Bo sent apologetic eyes to her wife before turning around and slapping Mrs. Lewis across the face. She wanted to feel guilty for slapping her mother-in-law, but nobody had the right to say bringing someone was a horrible idea. Even if she was just talking about Vex.

In all honesty, Bo had just wanted to slap Mrs. Lewis for some time, and she finally felt confident enough to do so. If the woman had already decided she wasn't going to accept their baby, then a little slap wasn't going to change her mind. In Bo's mind, Mrs. Lewis rejecting her as Lauren's mate meant automatically rejecting anything that came from their union. She didn't like that at all, and she definitely didn't like the way the woman smirked all adoringly at Briann.

"Bo!" Lauren handed Briann to Vex and came over to place her hands around Bo's bicep. They both knew the outburst was a onetime deal, but her wife was trying to help calm her. Bo chose to ignore that Lauren voluntarily and easily handed their baby over to Vex, who always seemed to look at Briann like he had no idea what to do with her once he had her, no matter how many times he begged them to let him hold her.

"Alright, succubus. That's your one 'get out of jail free' card. I hope it was worth it." Mrs. Lewis rubbed her hand across the reddening handprint across her cheek. She motioned and nodded for the maids to leave her be.

"Surprisingly, yes. Worth every nanosecond." Bo felt more relaxed. Even though she was the one who pushed Lauren into doing this, she was also scared of what would happen. She had only ever officially met the woman once, and it wasn't like that meal had been pleasant. The only good thing that came out of that night was her connection with Lauren. They had exchanged rings and possibly made Briann that night. A little part of Bo felt predatory again at the thought of conceiving a baby after every time they had a meal with Lauren's parents. After months of trying to get Lauren pregnant, meeting her girlfriend's parents had seemed to be the only real changing factor that night. It had worked and quite well. Memories of sexual gymnastics with Lauren that night caused Bo's eyes to flash, but she didn't care. If Angela Lewis was going to be offended by her succubus nature, then there was no sense hiding who she was.

"I see that your manners have not changed much from what I expected of you." Mrs. Lewis was obviously still not her biggest fan, but at least she wasn't jumping right in and saying she didn't accept Briann like she had with Bo. "Do not forget you are a guest in my house."

"Where's dad?" Lauren was looking around, as though the man would magically appear if she kept looking for him. It reminded Bo of when she would play hide and seek with Sam Dennis. He would always say "I'm here," and Bo would look around the room, trying to find the voice instead of going to look for the actual person.

"Your father is away on business, which is just as well. We have much to discuss." Mrs. Lewis finally moved to sit down at the dining table. As soon as they followed her example, servants started fussing around them and bringing them plate after plate. This was way too reminiscent of that dinner at the country club. Bo really didn't know what she was going to do with a glass of orange juice, coffee, water, grapefruit juice, _and_ cranberry juice; other than pee a lot later if she drank them all. There was no doubt that once she downed one of the glasses, someone would be beside her filling the glass again. With all of this fussing, Bo was even more impressed that Lauren was so self sufficient. Being waited on hand and foot would make anybody lazy; not Lauren, though. She had already returned to her workaholic tendencies, much to Bo's chagrin.

"Alright, Angela. I'll bite." It was the first time Bo had ever acknowledged her mother-in-law by her first name. It felt extremely odd. "What's with the big to do?"

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Lewis turned her attention away from the girl buttering her toast for her. At least Lauren had smiled and dismissed the young girl trying to butter hers. Bo had to smile at this small act of defiance on her wife's part. This tiny act was the most attractive thing Lauren had done all day; well, aside from waking up with the world's sexiest bedhead…and brushing her teeth, which was oddly sexy this morning…and when she did her morning pilates, which didn't need an explanation on why it was sexy. A reminder of how flexible Lauren is? Yeah, Bo did not need to rationalize the sexy there.

"We just asked to meet you so you could officially meet your granddaughter. Why do you feel the need to flash the fancy?" Bo let out a deep, frustrated sigh. She looked down at her own unbuttered toast and realized nobody had offered to butter hers. She narrowed her eyes, knowing this was intentional. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm not impressed by all of this. The only good thing that came out of this house lives with me now."

"Like it or not, there is no need to be rude to the hostess." Angela smirked at her, eyes narrowed. It reminded her of when Lauren was trying not to show how mad she really was during their arguments. "Do not forget you invited yourselves to my home. It would not bother me any if you were to leave."

"No, we're here. Let's just enjoy our meal." Lauren looked around the room again, like she was expecting somebody to scold her for talking. Bo realized why this was, which only made her upset. She closed her eyes, took two deep breaths, counted to ten backwards, and took a sip of her cold, tart grapefruit juice. Freshly squeezed with a hint of lemon and mint. Why was she even surprised that even simple grapefruit juice was fancified?

"We wanted you to meet Briann, your granddaughter. We thought you had a right to meet her at least." Bo steeled her jaw, wiping the juice that dribbled on her chin. She didn't care that she was the opposite of sophisticated. She wasn't trying to impress anyone anymore.

"Yes, I see that she favors both of you, but those are the eyes of a succubus. Let's hope you manage to keep her in line when she hits puberty. Having a sexually promiscuous, wild, and unruly granddaughter is not what we pictured when we considered Lauren would have children. There's a reason I was careful when choosing who to breed with." Mrs. Lewis had never said anything more offensive to Bo. At least, that's what it felt like, even if it wasn't a direct hit.

"I would say that I was more than careful when choosing Bo." Lauren looked around again, panicked briefly before she realized nobody was there to scold her. Bo could sense her wife's confidence slowly starting to surface in this house, around this woman.

"Word is that you finally got married completely." Angela held her coffee mug so delicately that the gracefulness seemed out of character with her brash and bold interior.

"Yes. We did." Bo narrowed her eyes, willing her mother-in-law to say something. Her immediate reaction to want to slap somebody who would deny them their marriage and children told Bo that she was definitely not ready to be anyone's queen. She didn't want to be a dictator who guillotined heads of those who defied her.

"I gather that Mother performed the ceremony, then." Angela let out a deep breath before placing her antique coffee mug on its plate. "I must admit, I thought you originally were here to declare your rank over me. I see now, I had nothing to worry about. You won't be ready for decades."

"When I am, your doorstep will be the first one I am at." Bo wanted to stand, to physically show her power, but Lauren's panicked facial expression caused her to stay seated. She didn't like being on the other side of the table across from her own wife. The lack of intimacy at this massive table was so apparent. When she did finally decide to become queen, there was no way she was sitting anywhere not near her wife.

This was the moment that Bo finally realized that she was not going to do this alone. She and Lauren would rule together.

Bo finally understood what this meant, and she relaxed for the first time since walking in this house.

"Do not be surprised if I am the most defiant." There was something about the way she said it. It was more in her tone and body language than her actual words. Bo couldn't decide if she should honestly be worried. There was an almost defeated rebelliousness behind it, like a teenager who was finally winning the same argument with her adopted parents about going to the dance with her boyfriend. That was the last time she had talked to Sam and Mary Dennis. They had the same tone then that Mrs. Lewis had now.

"I won't be a bad ruler."

"I never said you would be." Angela closed her eyes to seemingly calm herself. When she opened them again, her eyes held a warning tone. "There are so many fae who will try to murder you and your family just because you are the one true queen. Nobody ever expected this day to actually come."

"Well, it hasn't yet." Bo looked across to Lauren, trying to understand why Lauren was shutting off her emotions again. Vex had sat down on his own at the opposite end of the table, and Briann was in a cushioned high chair beside Lauren.

"When I discovered that Lauren would be the one to change the world, I was excited to know I would be a part of making fae history. It was why I decided to marry William and have a child with him." Angela barely touched her food, much like Lauren. With such a grand feast, it seemed wasteful to not eat. Vex seemed to agree with her, as he had already devoured his entire cornucopia of plates place in front of them. Bo looked down at her own empty plates and glasses, surprised they were still sitting there or not refilled. "The day you learn your child is going to be royalty is amazing, but the day it actually happens; the day you realize just what danger that entails? I love my daughter, but I hate that she chose this. I hate that she chose you. You have no real precedence in the fae or human world other than being a rogue succubus who happens to have a good bloodline."

"I will never let anything happen to your daughter or your granddaughter." Bo knew she was going to spend the rest of her life being on alert even more now. If anyone tried to harm her family, Bo knew she would go crazy inferno bitch on them. She had no control over her powers yet; not the Samael part of her, at least.

"I know that you'll try." Angela did genuinely smile, though she almost scolded herself for doing so. It was strange to witness. "All you have done is put events into motion that will guarantee you will die trying."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bo could sense fear shoot through Lauren, which made her curious if her wife knew something she didn't.

"Exactly what I said: You will die trying." She nodded to the servant to come and take her plate of half eaten fruit, oatmeal, and toast away. Bo just silently watched as the rest of the plates were removed from the table. For some reason, the normally confident succubus lost her voice and nerve around this woman.

"This is your granddaughter then?" Lauren was sitting with so much posture and poise, mimicking her mother. It felt odd being in this house and seeing her wife as someone else. Bo was never happier that Lauren had escaped this prison; it definitely felt worse than literal enslavement from the Light Fae.

"Of course she is my granddaughter. She is fae and heir to the throne once your mate gets herself killed." Mrs. Lewis turned to Lauren so casually, as though she had never reprimanded her daughter for speaking out of turn and with such a snippy tone. Bo was impressed that her wife even managed to speak out this much to her mother. "She can still be molded."

"You won't have anything to do with raising Briann. If you think I'll let you anywhere near our daughter, then you are crazier than I thought." Bo found her voice finally, as she felt her eyes flash and body flush from anger. "Crazier than Vex."

"Easy now, succubus." Vex only pretended offense, but Bo did not have time to play with him.

"There is no way I will let you treat our daughter the way you treated Lauren." She steeled her eyes towards the other woman, making sure there was no question in her tone or posture.

"Come now, Isabeau. I must have done something right, or you wouldn't be threatening me right now. You wouldn't have Lauren right now." Angela motioned for all of the remaining servants to leave the room. They did so without question. This was definitely a woman who ruled with an iron fist. "You love my daughter; that much is clear. I would be a horrible Hestian if I didn't say that made me happy to know my oldest daughter is loved that much. You declared fae marriage to her, which is even insane for a regular fae not prone to cheating on their spouse. None of my other children, who were actually fae, even did that. You are either the dumbest succubus on this planet, or you already know what I know."

"Why does everyone assume I'm going to cheat? I am a succubus, sure, but I am also quite fulfilled at home. Why do I have to cheat to be happy?" Bo was aware that she checked out other people, and she knew that Lauren was aware of this. There was even the occasional desire or lust-filled thought. She wasn't that naïve. She couldn't deny that she wanted to have sex with other people sometimes, but she knew that was the succubus talking and not Bo herself. No matter how much she loved Lauren, Bo knew that turning her nature off was impossible. It was acting on those thoughts that would be a problem. She had no direct intention to ever do this. She wasn't kidding about being fulfilled at home. There was a reason she was careful when she took on new clients and cases; she didn't want to need to heal elsewhere. She didn't have a need to prove everyone wrong; she didn't need to prove that she was capable of monogamy. Bo already knew she was.

"Briann is lovely. She is a wonderful addition to the family, and I hope you will consider bringing her back to meet her grandfather. This is William's only biological granddaughter. He has been waiting to meet her since we discovered you were pregnant." Angela coughed lightly, but it still startled Bo. "Lauren, have you made any progress on the reversal serum? Now that you know your freedom will come sooner than later, there is no need to let your brother and sisters stay human and die unnecessarily before their time."

"I have been looking into it, yes." Lauren was working on making her family fae again? Why was this the first time Bo was hearing about it? Maybe she needed to start visiting the lab more often, or at least start asking more questions about what the doctor actually did. By the way Lauren was avoiding eye contact with her and playing with her hands, Bo knew this lack of information was done intentionally. Did Lauren not think she would be okay with it? She wasn't sure that she was okay with it, but the thought that Lauren wouldn't talk to her about it upset Bo. "It is all hypothesis at this point. I am running tests, but nothing conclusive yet."

"If you need Hadley, she can be found." Mrs. Lewis actually showed some worry in her facial expression. It was barely there and lasted for a split second, but Bo caught it. She always found herself on high alert around any of Lauren's family. She was even more alert around Gram lately; after not telling them about the ritual coronation, Gram was still in hot water with Bo about keeping secrets. So was Trick, which was why she had not visited the Dal that often these past few months. She could use Briann as an excuse, but in all honesty, Bo was still confused and hurt at how easy people kept big ass secrets from her. Now, Lauren was keeping big things from her, too? Of course she wanted to find Hadley; especially now that she had an urge to punch something or someone.

"We have feelers out on her, but we've been a little occupied elsewhere." Bo knew that knowing what your enemy was up to, even if it was boring, was just as important as fighting the current threats. Maureen and Roger had proven themselves not to be threats, but Hadley was still up for debate. When she didn't show at the holiday party at Gram's, Bo knew she had to reopen the case of the missing sister-in-law again.

"Lauren was an easy baby." Angela seemed proud of that fact, and Bo could imagine Lauren being an easy baby to care for. Briann was starting to get a personality, and she was quite vocal, especially when it came time to protest sleep.

"Briann takes after Bo then." Lauren's slight chuckle did cause Bo to relax a little. If Lauren was capable of relaxing in this house, then surely she could. "I am working on it; I promised Roger."

"When did you do that?" Bo hated when she was the last to hear about things, especially things she should know.

"When I went to see him, to get him to help you get out of…your incarceration." Lauren looked at her mother, obviously not sure if the woman knew about Bo being in jail. Based on her amused expression, she was well aware and definitely not surprised. Being in prison did not help her if she ever did want to win her mother-in-law's approval. "I made him a deal that I would work on the formula after the baby was born if he helped get you cleared of all charges."

"That bastard totally played me." Bo could only chuckle in admonishment. Of course that was why he helped her. His reaction when she presented him with the dagger made even more sense now. He had seemed so pro-Lauren out of the blue. No wonder he was nice to them without warning. She turned her attention on Lauren, trying her best to keep her anger in check. "We'll be talking about this later."

"I'm sure you will be." Mrs. Lewis seemed extremely amused now, as she volleyed her attention back and forth between them. Bo kept her eye contact strong on her wife, sending vibes to let her know she was hurt. Lauren seemed to respond with a sense of guilt, so at least she did feel bad about not telling her. "There are some boxes that I laid out in your old room. You should take them with you. We have no use for them anymore."

"You mean I still have a room here?" Lauren seemed honestly surprised. There was not any sarcasm to her tone, though Bo sensed there was in her wife's mind.

"I have some business to attend to in my study. Your father should be calling shortly, and I will send him my regards." Angela was scary, as she looked at Vex. "Your manny can wait in the kitchen with the rest of the help. I don't want a Dark fae roaming around the house and soiling the place." Bo was surprised that he didn't retort. Instead, he stood from the table and walked away with one of the servants. To his credit, though, he didn't seem to mind that last part. Her succubus nature had been picking up on the sexual vibes those two had been sending throughout brunch. It was kind of disturbing to watch Vex try to subtly flirt. Subtle was apparently not a word that Vex applied well. He did get points for trying, though.

It was still not as weird as when she had to watch him flirt with Kenzi and vice versa, though. She was the succubus, but Kenzi was the one with all the suitors. Hale was number one, and Kenzi seemed to let him be. She seemed to trust him with Alexie more than the others. While she did spark with Hale quite a bit, Kenzi's spark with him was more love and friendship based. She sparked with Dyson and Vex, but it was completely different and based on pure lust. Bo was glad her best friend was getting so much attention; it was much deserved. That didn't mean it wasn't weird to watch, even if the young woman never did anything beyond the seemingly harmless flirtation and innuendo.

"Feel free to take your family on a tour. You know the rules in this house. Nothing has changed since you were here last." Mrs. Lewis stood from the table and walked over towards Briann. Lauren stood and picked their daughter up from the high chair and presented her to her mother. Bo immediately stood in defense, ready to hop across this massive table if she needed. Mrs. Lewis held the baby, squeezing in an uncharacteristically loving hug. Bo noted that she even closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh baby lotion scent. It was something she did herself often enough that she recognized the action for what it was. Angela Lewis was lovingly welcoming her granddaughter into the family. "Briann Lewis, welcome to the family."

"Thank you, Mother." Lauren was hiding her emotions from the outside world, but Bo could tell how angry, jealous, and relieved her wife was from this one simple hug. Mrs. Lewis handed Briann back to Lauren, but not without placing a warm hand on her daughter's shoulder. Lauren instantly relaxed and felt loved and part of the family; Bo recognized it as the Hestian's touch.

Lauren stared after her mother, keeping her emotions in check until the woman had left the room. When her mother was gone, Lauren moved around the table to stand next to Bo. Briann was slapping her mother's cheeks, but Lauren stayed emotionless. Lauren quietly guided them through the house, and Bo could tell there was a dam about to burst once her wife did let her emotions show.

At least this meeting had gone better than the first.


	2. Won't Take Nothing But a Memory

One simple touch of a hand on her shoulder. That was all Lauren could concentrate on right now. Even though she had not been back here, back in this cold, overly lit house for almost a decade, she still climbed the stairs and walked the halls to her old room like she did it every day. It seemed colder and darker in this hallway; it always did. So, why was she so focused on a simple gesture when she should be worried what she would actually find in her old bedroom.

It was a simple touch. It was one hand on her shoulder. It was something a stranger would do in greeting; well, a stranger with no respect for personal bubbles. Not unlike Bo when they first met, Lauren noted, though she wasn't that amused at the connection. Still, this touch was different. This touch was awkwardly intimate when it should have been loving and comfortable. It was a Hestian's touch.

Yet, it was the first time her mother had ever used her Hestian powers on her. Lauren barely even registered that Bo was confused and upset. She was almost afraid to ask. Knowing Bo, it was something that happened at brunch. She had seemed fine before that. Normally, Bo was her number one channel, especially considering where they were and who they were with today. Lauren couldn't focus on Bo, though, as much as she knew it would probably help. She wasn't shutting herself off from the bond, but she wasn't openly acknowledging its presence, either. Now, she couldn't do anything but decode that touch.

Her mother never showed any affection towards her. Even if she understood why, especially now, Lauren never knew how much she lacked that motherly love until she became a mother herself. Was that why her own mother finally granted her a small dose of that supernatural familial care? She knew her mother couldn't feed from her because of Bo, but she could tell that the woman was feeding from Briann. Lauren had kept quiet and tried not to get angry at this inside knowledge, but it was hard to watch her child being easily accepted by a woman who still hadn't fully accepted her.

It was a simple touch. It was only meant to show that she was thankful for the addition; it only proved the hypothesis that her mother had cared about her all along, but that didn't erase the fact that the woman was still so cold and distant. When she opened her old bedroom door and casually peeked inside, Lauren was only slightly aware that not much had changed here.

"Everything okay?" Bo followed her into her old bedroom. It was obvious that nobody had ever really entered into this room except the cleaning staff. There were still old posters, trophies, photos, and furnishings in here from when she was in high school and college. This room was the one that was farthest away from anybody else. In fact, she was the only one who used this part of the house, while Roger and her sisters' rooms were closer to her parents in the other wing. It was great for studying and quiet contemplation growing up, but her own parents rarely came over to get her themselves. Someone was always sent for her; if she were the fantasizing type, she could have gathered parallels to fairy tale princesses being kept away from the world. This house was massively bigger than Gram's farmhouse, which made the loneliness of being isolated that much worse. Living with the fae was far from a fairy tale, though, no matter how hard Bo tried to be that for her.

"It will be. At least, I hope it will be." Lauren moved to sit on the bed, as she watched Bo walking around and looking at things. She picked up one particular trophy, a look of amusement on her face. Lauren just watched, still trying to process the change in environment. This used to be her fortress of solitude; it didn't feel as welcoming as she remembered.

"First place archery?" Bo smirked even bigger, her eyes sparkling slightly. "And here I thought I was the Robin Hood in this story."

"I haven't picked up a bow and arrow since college. I doubt I could even shoot straight anymore." Lauren laid Briann down on the bed, watching as the little girl started kicking her feet and hoisting her body to roll over on her belly. She was preparing to crawl, which made Lauren sigh at the realization that their daughter was about to be an extreme handful. She really did take after Bo, even the hair pulling, except it actually hurt when Briann did it.

"Here's one for bowling, and I know for a fact you know how to handle a bowling ball. I've seen it with my own two eyes." Bo chuckled as she moved to peruse the picture frames on Lauren's old dresser. "Ever wonder why lesbians love to play with balls so much? It seems sort of ironic, in a perverted sense."

"Is there any other kind of sense for you?" Lauren chuckled before she instantly sobered once she realized that this was the first time that being in this room, in this house, made her feel like she was definitely home. Bo and Briann were making this once distant and faraway land feel like a place she belonged. Without them, this would be a long forgotten room that the staff probably chose to ignore most days since nobody ever came over on this end.

"I've not seen many pictures of you as a teenager. I have a feeling I would have known about my succubus powers much sooner had I gone to school with you." Bo picked up a picture of Lauren after she had thrown a cross country match. "I'm not surprised you ran track." Lauren recalled the feeling of victory she felt from winning. She had been in the lead and was about to win but faked a leg cramp and slowed down so that her teammate could win. That feeling of soon-to-be victory had lasted a moment, only to be replaced by another bout of disappointment when she realized nobody was even in the stands to cheer for her victory. Everyone else had family and friends there to cheer them on, and she had felt so selfish in that moment that she decided to let somebody else be the victor for once. She wanted somebody else to experience the thrill of victory and pride from their family. She had found that picture of her, of her holding her "hurt" ankle after the meet, dropped in her locker with a nasty note attached. She had framed it and put it in her room as a reminder that it wasn't important to always come in first all the time. It was how she learned to start caring for those around her, and somebody had captured that moment for her, even if they had intended it to be spiteful.

"Can we save the big talks for later?" Lauren let out a deep breath. "I know we have a lot to talk about. I'm just not sure I can right now."

"Fine, but you should know that I'm not happy with you right now." Bo was still smiling behind her eyes, though Lauren knew that it was this insight into her life that was making her wife happy. She really should reveal more about her past, especially since Bo had become extremely open and started talking about her adoptive parents and childhood more since Briann was born.

"I'm in the proverbial doghouse; I get it." Lauren felt stressed. It wasn't something she usually felt except when tasked with extremely difficult work and workloads. Even then, it wasn't bad stress; it was manageable stress that she would thrive on with her job and duties. This was definitely the bad kind, though. Bo being mad at her was not helping. She could sense her frustration, confusion, and arousal. It was a most unfortunate cocktail to be served at the moment. "Do you want to get the boxes and leave?"

"Do you?" Bo came to sit beside her on the bed, carrying a pink Power Ranger action figure she had on her old computer desk. When she was a sophomore in high school, Maureen had given her the toy as a gift. She explained that Lauren reminded her of the pink Power Ranger because she wore pink shirts and could kick butt like her. That was almost twenty years ago.

"You know, you're the first person I ever brought to my room." Lauren cleared her throat, feeling how dry and thirsty she was all of a sudden. This room was always left cold, despite her always asking to have the heat turned up in here. She had tried sneaking a space heater once, but her dad grounded her for two weeks and made them turn the thermostat down during that time. She was eleven and did not understand why she was being punished. At least he had not spanked her that time. The last time he had done that was when she was in eighth grade and had trouble sleeping. She would sneak into the master living room, closer to her parents, because the couch in there was the only place she could find sleep. Her dad had enough one night and spanked her. The following weeks was more uncomfortable than usual after that, but Lauren never left her room again after 9pm curfew and wouldn't come out until 7am wake up calls. No wonder she never brought anyone home with her. "Matter of fact, you're the first person I dated that I have brought home with me."

"I can imagine your mother's face if you had brought Evony home with you." Bo was about to hand the toy to Briann but thought better of it and moved to put it back in place. Lauren could fix the placement later; she had since learned to pick her battles with her wife. "Suddenly, your mother's reaction to me doesn't seem so bad."

"I didn't exactly date the Morrigan. You know that." Lauren cleared her throat again, trying to hide her blush at the memories of just what their relationship entailed. "I'm serious. It feels strange sharing this place with you."

"It's nice. It's like you're finally allowing me to breach the inner sanctum of your life. Being here makes me feel closer to you somehow; I can see you living in here." Bo came back to sit down next to her on the bed again and dropped her voice. Lauren rolled her eyes in amusement; it was something Bo did whenever Briann was awake next to them and she was propositioning her for sex. "If our daughter wasn't right there, I would definitely suggest helping you properly break in this room. It doesn't seem right that you never had the chance to fool around in your childhood bed. That's like, a rite of passage. What about that prom date of yours? No cheerleaders you snuck in here to fondle instead of study?"

"You make it sound creepy, Bo." Lauren smiled, though she did have to admit she didn't fool around with herself in this bed, either. Even those times when she was back from college, after she had learned what masturbation and sex were, Lauren still felt dirty touching herself in here. Again, Bo's arousal increased and began to overpower her anger and confusion. This only made Lauren smirk more. "Thank you for the restraint. I know how hard that must be for you right now."

"Okay, smartass. No need for sarcasm. See if I don't talk you into sneaking in here one night." Bo was starting to relax, obviously checking out the room for possible openings. There were only two windows, but they were on the third floor. There was no way any sneaking would be done to get here.

"Coming back here? Not high on my list of things to do." Lauren cleared her throat, trying to hide her blush because Bo was sending some seriously lust-filled vibes right now. "If we had never had children, I don't know if I ever would have brought you here."

"Well, I'm glad that we did and that you did." She pulled Lauren's hand into hers and kissed the inside of her wrist. Bo knew that was a sensitive spot for her. It was the anger she still felt from Bo that made Lauren panic slightly. "Thank you…for letting me see where you grew up. It amazes me how you can still remain a mystery to me sometimes."

"I'll work on that." Lauren smiled and wished they didn't have to fight later, though she knew it was inevitable. Tonight, a new dam was built, and Lauren could only respond with "damn" when she realized they would probably revert to old behaviors and avoid until the problems became too much and they exploded at each other instead of being mature. She had never told Bo about the deal she made with Roger, even when Bo kept saying she didn't know why he did it. Even when she suspected that Lauren had done something. In all honesty, Lauren didn't know why she kept it a secret from her wife. Bo would protest, sure, but it's not like Lauren would have listened. It was her formula that had taken away her siblings' identities, and it was her crazy mate that had done it out of a need to get Lauren her freedom. Okay, so she did know the reason: She felt responsible and didn't want Bo to get mad. She probably would have worked on the serum anyways; making the deal with Roger to free Bo only served as an added motivator.

"I kind of like slowly peeling away the layers that make up Dr. Lauren Lewis. I've always loved a challenge, and you, my dear, are the most challenging of them all." Bo's smile seemed to be permanently plastered now, and Lauren hated that she would have to take away that smile soon. "I have always been a magnet to your insanely quiet intensity and ridiculous guardedness. You're like my bad habit that I can't seem to quit."

"I feel like I should be offended." Lauren wasn't really, but playful banter always was a defense mechanism she went for when trying to avoid fights with Bo. They needed to be someplace safe if they were going to have this fight, and she definitely didn't want their daughter to see them fighting. "And, your worst habits, plural? I have a list."

"Well, I do suffer from foot in mouth syndrome. I think I caught it from Kenzi. You did catch the part where I said I love a challenge, right?" Bo's eyes widened. Lauren knew her wife hated when she blocked off her emotions, but this seemed to be instinctual as soon as she had walked in the house before brunch. Even if she did want to let down her guard, she wasn't sure that she could. "I love you."

"Relax, Bo. I love you, too. I'm just…it's intense. Being back here is intense." Lauren squeezed their hands together, pulling them onto her lap so that she could play with Bo's fingers.

"I get that." Bo moved her body around so that she had one leg on the bed and one dangling off the side. Briann was talking to the Einstein poster she had behind her bed, having a squealing baby conversation as though they were old friends and it wasn't a poster instead of a real person.

"I know you do." Lauren mirrored her wife's positioning but kept hold of her hand.

"So…no sneaking back in here later to break in the room? I say we put Briann down for a nap and cross that off the list now, since we're already here and all." Bo's eyes sparkled a blue tinge, and Lauren didn't need to have the bond to sense that her wife was thinking naughty thoughts. The arousal, the succubus, had taken control of Bo's emotions. At least that meant they would wait until more neutral ground to have that fight.

"I'm not having sex with you in this room when our daughter is asleep beside us." She rolled her eyes in amusement. Of course Bo would be thinking about sex. She would be lying if the thought wasn't on her mind now, too. Sex was another defense mechanism she had used for avoidance; actually, they both used that one. Plus, Bo was right; it would be a sort of rite of passage to finally fool around in this room. Even if they were chaste kisses, it would be more action that this room ever saw. Strangely, for th first time, Lauren wondered if there were surveillance cameras in here. It would explain a lot why she got caught doing things she was told not to when living here.

"There's a floor." Bo was serious, but she was also seriously trying not to laugh. She wasn't that desperate; they had just had intense sex the other night, and there was no real need for it. The thought that Bo just wanted it, even though Lauren still had some work to do on getting her body back in shape, made her smile and feel tingly.

"I'm not putting our daughter on the floor to sleep just so that we can have sex." Still, she had to be practical.

"I could call Vex to come take her on a walk around the house." Bo was floundering for excuses now. Was Lauren missing something? Did she need to feed?

"I'm not leaving our daughter alone with Vex for that long just because we both want sex." Lauren narrowed her eyes and tried to read her wife, but she didn't sense any need. Was being in this place blocking her?

"Ha! You admit it." Bo smiled and bounced in victory.

"I didn't say I didn't want to have sex with you, Bo, or fool around, or whatever. I just don't think the option is available considering we have a child to think about. I don't want to be one of those parents that pushes their kid aside to take care of their own selfish needs, and I know you don't, either." Lauren couldn't help but chuckle lowly at Bo's childlike enthusiasm.

"You realize that means we'll be sneaking back in here later." She arched a challenging eyebrow, and Lauren chuckled louder now.

"Don't count on it, succubus. I will do anything to please you and give you everything you want sexually, but therein lies that line that shall not be crossed." Lauren stood from the bed and went to grab the two boxes. Bo could carry Briann this time; that would cool her lady parts down for a bit.

"Never say never. You underestimate my powers of persuasion." Bo picked up Briann, who was reaching out for Einstein and squealing at him like she didn't want to leave such an intense conversation. "You may have all these awards, but I have the first place trophy in Lauren lovin'."

"Well, you underestimate my powers of succubusting. Did last week teach you nothing? You know the rules, and you know I love rules." Lauren moved over to kiss Bo lightly.

"And you know I love to break them." Bo repositioned Briann in her other arm, as Lauren led the way back to their car. Vex was waiting outside, a fresh handprint forming on his face. This thought made Lauren smile as she put the boxes in the trunk. Two freshly deserved slaps delivered today. Maybe this would be a good day after all. Bo was left to buckle the baby in the seat, and Vex was not helping at all.

Lauren moved to stand inside the driver's side door as she looked up at the mansion. She briefly wondered if she should go in and say goodbye and thank her mother for brunch. The thought that she no longer had an obligation to call this home made her smile as she buckled herself in and waited for Bo to hop into the passenger side and do the same. She didn't even care that Vex was scoffing in the backseat about them getting a room. Lauren entwined their hands and smiled at her wife before she drove them home. Dams could burst later.


	3. Knockout in the Third Round

Bo didn't mean to be upset, but she was getting tired of Lauren's rules. Even more, she was tired of them avoiding this big fight they needed to have. Lauren had lied to her; okay, so she didn't lie to her, but she did omit the truth, which was just as bad.

No, she had lied. Whenever Bo asked why Roger would help, Lauren actively chose not to tell her the truth. She was used to that with Trick and Gram and Lachlan, but she expected so much more of Lauren. At least Evony's brand of omission was never a downright lie. The same could be said for Vex. Still, she and Lauren were supposed to be in this together, and she chose to go it alone. Part of Bo didn't get as angry because she knew this was their same song and dance; they would do what they could to protect the other at the cost of their own sanity sometimes. This time felt different, though.

In all of their time together, Lauren had never lied to her. Whenever Bo would ask something, Lauren would either tell her what she knew or would find out the answer. So, why did she think that she couldn't tell her about her deal with Roger? Why did Lauren feel the need to protect her by doing stupid things and making stupid deals all of the time?

It had been two weeks since brunch with Lauren's mother, and they were still avoiding the fight. It was making being around each other tougher because all they would do was either avoid or do whatever they could to get the other to continue avoiding, which usually resulted in one or the other of them leaving the room. The only time they had really spent together these last few days was at bedtime. Despite being angry, Bo couldn't _not_ sleep beside her wife.

Bo found herself getting mad whenever Lauren went to work in the morning. If Lauren succeeded in finding the serum, and Bo knew that her brilliant wife would do that sooner than later, then it was like Lauren was signing away her freedom again. This made Bo feel pressured to take up her queenly position sooner than later, too, and she was by no means ready for it.

Now, she was being rejected for sex…again. Bo didn't mean to be jealous of Briann, but the baby really was messing up her sex life. Bo missed the days when she and Lauren would sneak away and drop everything just to go have sex. She missed the days of convincing Lauren to fool around in the middle of the Dal and making pit stops on the side of the road just because they couldn't wait another second. Now, they had a baby to think about, so sneaking away and dropping everything was no longer an option. The only roadside stops they made lately was to clean particularly rank poo diapers; Lauren had reprimanded Bo for littering that last time she threw the dirty diaper.

No, sex was no longer easy, and that was not an easy thing for a succubus to endure. Bo hated being reminded of that, especially since Lauren had to call and find a babysitter just so they could have sex fully undressed, which hadn't actually happened in months, and even then, it had only lasted an hour before Lauren got dressed and went to take back Briann from Gram.

Sure, they had plenty of sex these past few months since Lauren got the okay from Gram, and Bo had taken every opportunity to make up for lost time, but Briann had started taking less naps and being more needy for attention beyond feeding, pooping, and sleeping. When Lauren wasn't spending long hours at the lab, she was taking care of and teaching their daughter and ignoring her wife. Bo was not a fan. They had a long life together; once Briann was grown, they would be alone again. Bo wasn't positive her succubus nature would allow the relationship to continue like this. She didn't want to prove everyone right when she did cheat on Lauren, but lately, Bo was frustrated with the little bit she was given, which wasn't much.

Okay, so Bo knew she was acting up. She didn't hate her wife or Briann. In fact, she loved her family. She loved their life. She loved every waking second she got to see Briann; even when she had to change the world's nastiest diapers, she didn't care. She loved them both, and she loved her life with them.

It was the succubus part of her that was not the biggest fan of the change. Passion and spontaneity had somehow turned into a sex schedule with all kinds of rules.

"Not until Briann is completely asleep," which was taking longer and longer. By the time they did get her to sleep most nights, they were too exhausted to do much. This rule did make complete sense, since Bo had no desire to put their kid in therapy because her parents couldn't wait just a few more seconds. Gone were the days of roadside succubus assistance.

"Keep most clothes on in case the baby wakes up," which did happen frequently throughout the night. Lauren had even stopped fucking her one night, right as Bo was about to orgasm, because Briann started crying. While she understood the need to take care of their daughter, Lauren could've waited just a few more seconds. It was dark outside, and they had finally put Briann's crib and changing table behind a partition in the room, so she wouldn't see anything in case she did wake up.

"Bo's feeding has to happen after Lauren pumps her breast milk," though Bo actually understood that one, too. They had learned the hard way when Lauren started to leak after a particularly steamy makeout and feed session before Gram had cleared Lauren for full take off. At least they were starting to wean Briann off of the boob, so that was one rule that wouldn't stay around much longer.

All of these rules were driving the succubus crazy. She needed passion, she needed lust, and she definitely needed to fully and completely satisfy her wife. Lauren was still self conscious about her body, and Bo wanted to show her how much she worshipped that body regardless of shape or size. The timing never seemed to allow it, though. Moreover, Lauren's stupid rules wouldn't allow it.

Their passion was still dormant; at least the bond allowed her to know that. It wasn't that Lauren didn't want to have sex; Bo felt confident in that knowledge. They just never trusted being away from Briann long enough to allow the unadulterated passion to surface.

Kenzi had her hands full with Alexie the toddler, who was starting his terrible twos early. Gram offered to babysit for more than a few hours, but Bo still didn't trust that the older woman wouldn't give their daughter back without some ancient fae ritual that made her or her daughter even more responsible for the fae world. Trick had even offered, but the same problem applied to him. Honestly, Bo didn't trust herself being away from Briann, either. She took her job as mother and protector seriously.

Before Lauren had a chance to reject her tonight, Bo was ready for whatever excuse came from the doctor. She made plans to fully seduce her wife, and she would be damned if they didn't get completely naked tonight. Kenzi and Hale were watching the kids, and they would still be in the same house. Gram had helped Bo prepare the most romantic and delicious dinner known to any world, and Vex had even brought her a bottle of wine that was infused with barnacle goose extract. It didn't sound very appealing, but Vex assured her that one sip of that and they both would experience the best sex ever possible between two people. Bo would be sure to tell Lauren what was in it before they opened it; just in case Vex gave them something that was the fae equivalent to the date rape drug. He said it was fae Viagra, but it was always hard to tell if Vex was telling the truth.

Lauren was due back to the farmhouse soon. Since Bo had taken the day off to care for Briann, she had surprised her wife at the lab this afternoon for lunch. She wanted to make sure that Lauren would be home on time, since she had already started staying late again. This was another way to avoid, sure, but Bo knew the doctor was just focused on solving the puzzle. She wasn't really meaning to avoid them in that regard; it just came naturally. As much as Lauren wanted to change, she would forever be a workaholic doctor obsessed with finding the answer and helping people. At least she had not forgotten she had a family…yet. Bo did give her credit for that. Besides, Lauren's devotion to her craft and unwavering obsession to understand things that she didn't were two of the reasons Bo was so smitten with the awkwardly charming doctor. These were the things that pulled her in at the beginning(besides the automatic fae magnet that just is Lauren), and they were still keeping Bo interested almost four years later.

Bo looked around the room one last time. She had it all planned perfectly; all of their needs would be fulfilled tonight, and she had left enough room for spontaneity in her plan. There was no scheduled order to how their needs would be met; they would just all be taken care of before the night was over.

She looked at the clock and noticed Briann sitting up on her play blanket, squealing at the toys she found there. Bo smiled down at her daughter, loving how much she was starting to actually favor them. She was definitely going to look more like Bo, but Lauren could easily be found in her features, as well. Once she decided everything was ready, Bo sat down on the blanket to play with Briann for a bit before Lauren arrived, which should be any minute. Kenzi was supposed to come pick her up in about an hour. Gram was going to bring them dinner not long after that. It was the first night they would spend without their daughter, even if they would still be technically under the same roof.

"Your mom is going to be so surprised." Bo briefly wondered if she should have cleared it with Lauren that Briann was going to be gone for the night, but she decided it would be fine. Bo had planned some time so that Lauren could get her fill of baby loving before she turned to the more adult loving part of the evening. "I'm going to miss you tonight, but I miss your mommy a bunch and need to spend some time alone with her. You don't mind, do you? You get to go play with Aunt Kenzi and Uncle Hale, and we know how much you love Alexie. We'll be right downstairs if you need us at all."

"Who are you talking to?" Lauren walked into the bedroom and placed her briefcase down on the settee. That meant that she brought work home with her. That did not fit anywhere in Bo's plans for the evening, and she just smirked and sent sexy vibes as she watched her wife come out of her winter coat. It was still a short walk to the lab, and the cold winter weather required the bundling. Even if Lauren insisted it was a short walk, Bo would never let her leave in the morning without it.

"Just telling Briann how much fun we're going to have tonight." Bo turned her attention to tickling their daughter before pulling Briann onto her lap.

"What's tonight? You came to the lab to make sure I came home on time; should I be worried?" Lauren smirked as she sat down to remove her snow boots, placing them on the boot stand behind the door.

"Only if you're worried about spending some alone time with me." Bo chose to squeeze their daughter into a hug and tickle her more, afraid to witness any rejection in Lauren's eyes. She only sensed a slight panic briefly before it was replaced with the familiar longing that indicated Lauren had registered what alone time entailed. She smiled before kissing the top of Briann's soft hair.

"Alone time? Sounds nice." Lauren moved to sit down on the blanket with them, and Bo handed Briann over. Their little girl squealed in delight and smiled ear to ear when she saw her other mother. Lauren had a similar reaction as she pulled in for a tight hug.

"It'll be more than nice." Bo cleared her throat, not able to hide her smile at all. These were the happy moments she loved; this was exactly why she loved her life. "Everything is taken care of, so we won't have to leave the room at all tonight."

"What about Briann?" Lauren bowed her legs and placed Briann between them so that the baby could sit up and see Bo.

"Kenzi and Hale will have her all night."

"All night?" Lauren's panic returned, but Bo was prepared for it.

"Don't worry. They're just going to be upstairs, so she won't be far. Hale has an added security detail out there patrolling the grounds tonight, just in case." Bo leaned back on her elbows, watching as Lauren slowly agreed and gave in to the thought of their daughter not sleeping in the same room as them for the first time. Bo had all day to prepare and get used to the idea, but Lauren would only have an hour. "Kenzi is going to come pick her up in an hour. You still have time to play with her."

"Yeah, just enough time to feed her dinner and change a dirty diaper. So much time…" Lauren looked at Bo like she was scolding her, but they both knew she was just as excited about the evening's possibilities. The second it completely registered with Lauren, Bo was almost bowled over from the instant spike off the charts in her sexual energy. Apparently, this evening was more than long overdue.

"So…spend some time with Briann. I'll go jump in the shower since I am still wearing a bit of spit up on my shirt and in my hair, which is not that sexy. When I'm out, we will see where the night takes us." Bo moved to crawl on all fours, kissing the top of Briann's head before moving to place a quick, warm, and promising kiss on Lauren's lips. "Hold that thought."

"Holding…" Lauren's eyes were droopy, and she had the goofiest grin on her face. Bo loved when she managed to kiss Lauren stupid. "Don't take long."

"No worries. I did the major prepping while she was napping earlier." She stood and winked before disappearing into the bathroom. Bo had not been this ready to be completely naked in quite some time. Maintenance and the minor details were not always easy to do when there was a baby demanding a lot of attention. After a quick shower and change of clothes, Bo took the time to actually fix her hair and apply some light makeup. If this was going to be their first real date night since the baby was born, she was going to do it right. That was what found her in her fancy matching underwear and push up bra when Lauren walked into the bathroom with Briann in her arms.

"Kenzi's here, and Gram brought dinner. Thought you would want to say good night before she took off." Lauren's energy spiked again, and her aura was almost blinding Bo. To her credit, Bo closed her eyes to get them to change back from blue before Lauren handed Briann over for some good night snuggles. "I'll just…" Lauren cleared her throat and pointed to the walk in closet.

"You don't need to change. You look perfect." Bo cuddled Briann in her arms and twirled her around the bathroom. "Tell your mommy she looks beautiful."

"I'm work rumpled. At least let me change my shirt."

"Or you could just take off all of your clothes now. It would save me the trouble of removing them later." Bo wrapped Briann into a tight hug and openly ogled her wife from top to bottom, making sure it was obvious she was checking out her wife over their daughter's shoulder.

"Bo!" Lauren smiled, her eyes flashing in excitement despite the scolding. "She can understand you, you know."

"She can understand I'm talking, but she has no idea what I'm saying." Bo moved Briann so that she could smile and rub their noses together, which always tickled them both and made them smile and giggle. "I could run down the list of every little detail of what I want to do to you, not just tonight, and she wouldn't be any the wiser. She would probably giggle and talk back if I said it in baby talk."

"You know what I mean." Lauren cleared her throat again before disappearing into the closet, which was the size of their bedroom back at the clubhouse. Since she needed to get her own dress on anyways, Bo followed Lauren into the closet. "Kenzi's waiting out there."

"I'll deposit the kid. Do you want some last lovings before I take her?" Bo knew her wife well enough to know that as soon as Briann was actually out of their care for the night, she would be trying to leave or call Kenzi every ten minutes. Bo hoped that she could distract her well enough that Lauren wouldn't do either thing even once.

"Of course." Lauren bounced over after she tossed her button up in the laundry bin. Leave it to her OCD wife to have separate laundry baskets for their various loads. "Have fun with everyone tonight. I'll miss you more than you'll know."

"She'll just be upstairs, Lauren. We have to take baby steps, too." Bo allowed Briann to lean over and slap at Lauren's face in excitement. "This had to happen eventually."

"I know. I know. It's just…" Lauren pouted before smoothing Briann's hair back and kissing her head one last time.

"I know." Bo winked at Lauren before taking Briann out to greet Kenzi.

"Woah, Bo! Really? You still own sexy underwear? Here I thought you were completely going soccer mom on me." Kenzi was strangely bouncier than usual. She did know she was taking care of two babies tonight? "Hello, girls. Long time no see."

"Are you seriously talking to my boobs right now?" Bo chuckled before handing over her daughter to her best friend. Briann went so easily and was excited to see Aunt Kenzi again.

"I know, I know. I'll leave the boob whispering to Lauren. I'm just glad to see a bit of the old Bo back in action. You had me worried, sweetcheeks." Kenzi smiled and swayed in her hug with Briann. The young woman was definitely in for a long night. At least she had Hale to help her. Of course that was probably why she was bouncier than usual. Her best friend's massive love-crush on Hale was starting to really show now that he was around all the time. "I was starting to think about revoking your succubus card. If you weren't going to use it, I would have found a way to."

"I bet Hale would have appreciated that." Bo smirked, using the teasing to distract from the fact she was letting her daughter leave. "I've told you all you have to do is jump him, and he'll be game. Boy burns bright."

"Hey, you talk to your mama with that mouth? Do I need to tell Lauren you've been a bad, bad girl?" Kenzi chuckled and rolled her eyes in amusement, especially when she took note of Bo's eyes flashing. "Okay, keep it in your pants…or well…what little cover you have there right now. Say good night to your mommy."

"Night, Kenzi. Night, Briann. I love you bunches." Bo walked Kenzi to the door, just now realizing how cold it was in the room. "Hey, if you think about it, could you have Gram turn up the heat in here? I don't want to need to put on clothes."

"Sure, sure." Kenzi stood on the other side of the door, but she stayed there when Bo lingered. The young girl would definitely understand the difficulties of leaving a child overnight for the first time, so she was obviously helping Bo ease into it.

"If you need anything, if she becomes too much, you just call us." Bo moved forward and let out a deep breath before kissing Briann on the head one last time.

"We'll be fine. Go get your woman." Kenzi smiled before walking far enough down the hallway that Bo couldn't reach them. "Have fun. Enjoy your shit."

"Thanks, Kenz." Bo smiled and sighed as they disappeared around the corner. She had to stop herself from going after them. When she entered back into the bedroom, she noticed that Lauren had put on a cute top that would be easy to remove later. She had even curled her hair a little more on the ends. She was in the process of setting up the makeshift dinner table and lighting the candle that was there. "Hey, that's my job."

"It's no problem." Lauren gasped, breathless, when Bo came to stand next to her. "God, Bo, you're so beautiful."

"So are you." Bo pulled the lighter from Lauren's hand and placed it on the table before pulling her wife in for a full embrace and kissing her lightly. "I know we're going to fight tonight, but can we just enjoy our time together first? I have this great dinner and…"

"Of course." Lauren visibly swallowed before clearing her throat. "It looks amazing, Bo."

"You're amazing." Bo let all of her hurt go dormant and decided to focus completely on just being with Lauren and being happy with Lauren.

"Go finish getting ready. I'll be here when you're out." Lauren moved from the embrace and eyed her briefcase. Bo jumped first and grabbed the briefcase, prepared to take it into the bathroom with her and hide it in the closet. "Hey!"

"No work tonight. Tonight is about us." Bo yelled from the other room. She knew she probably fueled the fight fire, but that just meant the sex would be more intense later. That thought didn't bother her in the least. She quickly pulled on her tight, black cocktail dress. One zip and one shimmy, and she'd be in nothing but her underwear again. She couldn't help but smile at her forward-thinking fashion planning.

She walked back out to see Lauren sitting at the table and pouting.

"Hey, none of that. I'm not kidding. This is about us tonight. Work can wait until morning." Bo came to sit down across from her, the smell of the food overwhelming her senses. "Just…try to enjoy yourself, doctor. You need a break."

"Fine." Lauren stopped pouting, but she did huff a little when she placed the napkin in her lap and removed the warming lid from her plate. "Did you take on any new cases today?"

"Yes, Kenzi and I are going to the city tomorrow to do some recon for this troll who thinks his wife is cheating." Bo furrowed her brow in disappointment. What did she really expect would happen? She should have known it was wishful thinking that they would just fall back into one another's arms once Briann wasn't there. Bo scolded herself for being jealous of their daughter for getting such easy, loving attention from Lauren. "Dammit, Lauren. Can we just…"

"What, Bo?" Lauren picked at her food, apparently finding it more interesting to look at than Bo. Were they really this distant with each other now? How did that happen? It was obvious Lauren was trying not to look at her, and she was trying hard to shield her emotions, but her energy was too strong to hide. "I thought you wanted to wait to fight."

"Well…maybe we should get it out of the way. Maybe I was wrong." Bo closed her eyes and took deep, calming breaths. "Sorry. I wanted this night to go differently."

"I know, and I love you for it." Lauren relaxed again before letting out a deep breath. "I'm sorry, too."

"I miss you…so much." Bo looked up and was glad when Lauren made eye contact with her. Even Bo heard the emotion spill over in her own voice.

"I know." Lauren wiped her mouth with the napkin from her lap before picking up her wine glass and staring at it. Since she was breast feeding, she still wasn't drinking any caffeine or alcohol. Bo scolded herself for the oversight.

"Sorry. I didn't think. When Vex gave me the wine, I was just so excited about tonight that I didn't think." Bo made it a point to push her own glass away from her place setting on the small makeshift table. "You don't have to drink it. I'm not even sure that we should; one of the ingredients is apparently barnacle goose, and I'm not 100% certain it's not some date rape drug."

"Barnacle goose?" Lauren openly chuckled, which only served to make Bo tense even more. "Really? I mean…have we really come to the point where we need barnacle goose?"

"I don't need anything but you." Bo steeled her jaw and didn't break eye contact. She waited until Lauren had to look away and blushed from the intensity. "I love you, Lauren. Even when I'm mad at you, I love you. I plan on proving that to you tonight. Multiple times, I hope."

"And the eventual fighting?" Lauren was showing the tell tale signs of being full before she finally put her napkin on her plate to confirm.

"I want to avoid it, but we need to take advantage of Briann not being here and get it all out of our system tonight." Bo looked down at her half eaten plate and quickly and unsophisticatedly shoveled the rest in her mouth, knowing she would need her energy for later.

"Attractive." Lauren chuckled, as she leaned back in her seat and smiled. Bo loved when Lauren smiled.

"Yeah, well…" Bo swallowed her last bite before wiping her mouth and tossing her napkin on the plate. She stood and quickly moved to pull Lauren up and into her arms. She wrapped them into a tight embrace but leaned back to stare at her wife. "I know I'll need my energy because I'm reading yours right now, and baby, you are screaming."

"I've missed you, too." Lauren moved her hands across Bo's bare shoulders, which caused her to shiver in anticipation. "I know it may not seem like it sometimes, but I can't stand not…being with you completely. I know you needed to hear me say that."

"I wouldn't mind you showing me." Bo smirked and arched a challenging eyebrow, but Lauren wasn't biting. She looked so serious and sad. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just…I know you're mad, Bo, and I hate it when you're mad at me." She tried to pull back from the embrace, but Bo was having none of that. If they were touching, Bo knew she would have better luck controlling her anger. So Lauren decided to get the fighting out of the way first; it was just as well. "It's not like we hadn't talked about finding a cure before, and it hurt being away from you. I needed to make sure you got out of jail, and none of your lawyers were staying. So, I went to one I knew could help you. It killed me going to Roger for help; you have to know that."

"I do." Bo moved out of the embrace and backed away. She was starting to get overheated and didn't want to pulse Lauren on accident. "It's not that you went to Roger; it's not even that you are working on the serum. Well, okay, it is a little about that, but…I…you have never openly lied to me like that before. When I asked why Roger even agreed to help, you didn't tell me about the deal. You didn't even give me a say. You didn't give me a chance, and I think that's shitty."

"I'm sorry."

"I know you are, but that doesn't change the fact that you lied to me."

"I never lied to you." Lauren's voice went high pitched the way it did whenever she was being defensive. Bo quietly stared at her, keeping her own voice and temper at bay for now.

"No, but you never told me the truth, either, and that's just as bad." She felt her entire body tense, as she fought to keep her control. The succubus in her wanted to just take Lauren right now; to prove who was the real leader, and Bo didn't like that thought at all. "I can handle little white lies to save hurt feelings; I can even handle the occasional omitted detail, but even then, I expect more from you. I've never been disappointed in you before, and I don't like that feeling at all."

"I'm sorry." Lauren used her hands a lot when she was explaining things, and her entire person became animated whenever they fought.

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry you felt you couldn't tell me." Bo let out a hard breath, closing her eyes and allowing herself to stay calm. She was surprising herself at her control, but she knew she couldn't keep it forever.

"I wanted to tell you, but how do you turn to somebody you love, who put their own ideals aside to get your freedom, and tell them you made a deal to completely reverse everything they had done?" Lauren moved to sit down at the end of the bed, putting distance between them. "I sometimes forget how new I am to this long term, committed relationship thing."

"I'm sure Nadia has something to say about that." Bo knew she couldn't keep it in for long.

"Do you really want to fight about Nadia right now?" Lauren was right. She didn't want to fight about Nadia; the poor girl was sick on and off and had barely even registered to Bo lately. Honestly, Bo had to witness how good a friend Nadia actually was, which bothered her because it was easier to dislike the other woman.

"Is there something to fight about? Is there something else you're not telling me? Is that why you made that deal: because you felt guilty for 'dating' Nadia while I was in prison? Is that why you stopped visiting?" Bo narrowed her eyes and dared Lauren to admit that she liked the attention while her wife, the other mother to their unborn child, was holed up in prison with almost no control. This was honestly Bo's own guilt at sleeping with her bunkmate those few times while her pregnant wife was left alone.

"I stopped visiting because you told me not to come anymore. You told me it was too much. You told me you didn't want me there until you got your control back." Lauren's voice was definitely high pitched now, and her eyes were wide and brow furrowed in more sadness than anger. "Do you know how that made me feel? Do you know how I felt when I thought Dyson was the only thing that would help you become you again?"

"Nothing happened beyond that kiss. You know that." Bo hated herself for liking the kiss, but she had since stopped punishing herself for it.

"That doesn't make it hurt any less." When Lauren looked away to hide her tears, Bo could sense the utter despair that Lauren was finally releasing.

"You were the one that sent him in the first place like a dumbass." Bo moved over to sit next to her wife, taking Lauren's hands into her own and rubbing her thumbs across the tops of Lauren's soft, cold hands.

"Well, you didn't have to kiss him back." It was almost a whisper, but it was rare that Lauren allowed such vulnerability and openness of her emotions.

"Oh." Bo sobered when she saw the hurt in Lauren's eyes. While she had suspected this was part of their distance, she never had confirmation until now. Bo knew kissing Dyson would one day come back to haunt her. She was never more happy that it had only been a kiss; it would have been so easy for it to be more. "I've apologized for that I don't know how many times. I don't want him; you know that."

"I know, but that doesn't make it hurt any less." Lauren wiped her tears uncharacteristically across her upper arm's sleeve. The wetness that lingered there served as a reminder to Bo that she made her wife cry.

"I'm sorry." Bo closed her eyes, wanting to escape from the rush of emotions coming from both of them.

"I know."

"I love you. Only you. I only want you." She leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together before moving her hand to the back of Lauren's neck to keep her in place.

"I know."

"Lauren…" Bo dropped her voice to a whisper. This room suddenly felt every bit the winter evening that it was.

"I know." Lauren let out a breath before her body relaxed slightly. This caused Bo to mirror her actions before sitting back up to face her wife, who freely wiped the rest of her tears away.

"If I could take it back, I wouldn't change anything. Do you know how differently you treat Dyson now? You two are actually close to friends, which is something I never thought possible." Bo was actually impressed with how civil they were towards one another; there was no longer this overwhelming hatred in their auras, which had dimmed to slightly buzzed. Even if they did work together more often and even joked around with each other, there was still a lot of history that couldn't be undone between them. Bo had since learned to stop trying and let them work on it themselves. "I rejected him; you know that."

"He's no longer mated to you, you know?" Lauren stood from the end of the bed, obviously recharged now that her frustration had finally been released. Bo usually felt drained after a good cry and fight, but Lauren was the opposite. When she cried, it wasn't ever long or hard enough to do much damage. It was actually tragic that Lauren couldn't experience intense breakdowns like a normal person thanks to years of conditioning; a good breakdown would probably do Lauren some good. She could go from being upset that Bo kissed Dyson one second to super clinical doctor the next.

"How do you figure?" Bo had already suspected this, as well. Dyson acted differently around her, too. He no longer burned as brightly around her as he once did, and his loyalty had shifted back to himself. He no longer seemed obsessed with her, and while Bo had breathed a sigh of relief when she realized it, she had never really thought to ask why. She had been too preoccupied with her own loyalties to pay much attention to whether Dyson was still mated to her. It was something she had learned to ignore well enough for years, so she didn't really give it too much thought. Ever since Lauren came into her life, Dyson taking her as a mate rarely crossed her mind, especially after she took Lauren as hers. "I mean, I sense it, yeah, but what makes you so sure?"

"Because we're mated completely now. We have a child together, we're married in every sense, and we finally consummated the marriage. Any one of those things would have broken his bond with you." Lauren went about cleaning up Briann's play blanket and toys; she neatly folded the blanket and tucked the toys in their respective bins. The thought that she would be watching Lauren do this for a long time to come made Bo smile again. Lauren was too OCD to be the authority when it came to teaching Briann to pick up her own toys. "Plus, have you noticed that he's not around as much?"

"I'm sure you're grateful for that." Bo smirked as she leaned back on her elbows and watched her wife work. She knew she should help, that the sooner the place was more organized, the sooner she could talk Lauren into getting naked with her.

"I've made my peace with Dyson. I have no need to fight with him anymore. He knows you're mine and that he'll never have you." Lauren piled all of the plates on the makeshift table; Bo finally jumped up to help, as she took the cart from Lauren and deposited it outside the door. "Just because he's no longer mated to you doesn't mean he doesn't still want you. When he is around, I see the way he looks at you. I see the way he looks at me. I'm not naïve."

"I never said you were." Bo couldn't help but smile when she realized she had thought of everything, as she placed the remains of dinner on the pushcart and placed it outside their bedroom door. Lauren would be too worried about the dirty dishes collected in the room to think of anything else. That meant she would take them to the kitchen, which also meant she would most likely sneak upstairs to check on Briann. Bo had made arrangements for Gram to come get the cart later so that Lauren couldn't use the dirty dishes attracting flies and some other scientic nonsense as an excuse to leave the room. On her way back into the room, as she could still hear Lauren's quieted voice from the open door, Bo shut the door and locked it before seeing Lauren's panicked doe-eyed expression. Bo rolled her eyes and unlocked the door, compromising a little. Besides, everyone knew not to disturb them unless it was a _real_ emergency. She dimmed the lights, not wanting to turn them off completely. She wanted to see her wife.

"I know you can't help who you are. It may have taken me awhile at first to see it, but I know people are going to want you." Lauren bit her lip, obviously reacting to Bo dimming the lights in the room and strutting back over to her. In response, Bo felt her eyes change slightly as she took longer strides back to the bed. "I know how dangerous that can be, too. I need to start defending myself more."

"Thinking about taking up boxing again? Maybe I should get you an epee or a bow and arrow." Bo came to wrap her arms around Lauren and started to kiss up her neck, giggling into her wife's throat and feeling every bit of both of their arousals. The kisses were working, and the thought of a super warrior chick Lauren was only making it stronger. The succubus part of her heartily agreed to the mental images of Lauren fighting. "You know, I've been dying to see you in action. All these years of hearing about you being a master fighter, and I've never once got to see you prove it."

"It's not funny, Bo. I hope you never have to, but I need to be able to protect our daughter should anything attack us, and we are going to be constantly under attack by something, especially when you decide you're ready to take the throne." Lauren may not be laughing, but she was responding to the kisses that Bo never waivered with once. In fact, she moved her head to allow Bo more room to maneuver. When Lauren was putty like this, it was harder to stay focused on the conversation.

"About that…I've been thinking." Bo stopped kissing only long enough to let Lauren know she was serious. "I know I'm not ready now, but I was thinking we could wait until Briann was fully grown. That would give us time to be a normal family before all the crazy happened."

"Bo, the crazy is always happening." Lauren wasn't wrong.

"I know, but…I want us to be happy and healthy and safe as much as possible. I need to take care of raising and taking care of my family before I worry about changing the whole damn fae world." Bo kept strong eye contact, loving the complete attention, adoration, and longing she saw in Lauren's deep brown eyes. "This is why I'm so worried about you making your siblings fae again. I want you to have your freedom; I don't want our daughter to grow up seeing her mother being put in a dungeon or having to bow to anybody. I don't want my daughter to think it's okay to be or have a slave because her mother is or was. I don't want that for her, and I definitely don't want that for you."

"I get it, Bo. I do, but…what other option do we have?" Lauren was the first to break eye contact. Bo felt Lauren's arousal return to a hum in exchange for a slight exhaustion. Bo went to lean forward and pulse her to help calm her, but she thought better of it. She wanted Lauren to be herself, as clearheaded and not succubus-whammied as possible.

"I was thinking we could ask the Ash for your freedom." Bo remembered that first meeting with Lauren's parents; it was something Angela had said. Bo was still choosing to ignore her warnings at the recent brunch. "Your mom said something once about just asking, and while I was afraid to do that before, or at least to the non-threatening degree, I think we can convince Lachlan and the elders to give you your freedom."

"It's not that simple, Bo." Lauren didn't even act like she wanted to fight for it anymore. Bo wondered what happened to that previous passion on the subject that her wife once held. What had changed?

"Maybe it is. If you're so hellbent on making your brother and sisters having long lives again, then it couldn't hurt to ask." She smiled at Lauren, knowing she was right about this. "Look, the elders know that I'll do anything to get your freedom, and they know I'm dangerous. Now that we're fully married, they have to know I'll go even further to protect you and get you your freedom. If we just asked, there's no way they'll deny it."

"Wow, that's…something." Lauren shook her head slightly, obviously lost in her own thoughts. Sometimes, Bo wanted to just spend a day in her wife's head to see what she was really thinking. It was hard to read her sometimes, even with the bond. "Still, it's my nieces and nephews, Bo. It's Kat and Maureen's husband. If I can prevent those families from being torn apart more than I already have, then I'm going to do everything in my power to stop it, even if it means staying aligned. Just because I have a family now doesn't mean I can completely theirs."

"I know, but what about Hadley? She's lying low now, but we both know she'll try again. Your sister should win the trophy for holding a grudge. Not that I blame her. If my sister's mate de-faed me and ruined my life, I would probably still be holding a grudge, too." Bo was honestly more tired of dealing with Hadley's wedding gift: the stupid assassin of the month club. She had finally heard word in the underground that nobody decent wanted to deal with Hadley because she was human and most were scared of Bo because someone unaligned had no allegiance and would kill without consequence. The thought made her chuckle; after Bo killed the first assassin, she had been careful with the others, but they had become so easy lately. They were mostly young fae trying to prove a point. Bo never killed them and only left them with wounded prides...and lots of battle scars. "Do you think giving her back her fae will stop her?"

"Honestly? Probably not. Hadley was never one to let things go. If she got her fae back, she would probably just take that as an opportunity to torture us longer." Lauren huffed before moving to sit on the side of the bed this time. "Even though I was older, she bullied me in school. It was one of the reasons I took double classes my junior year so I could graduate early. Hadley was going to be a freshman when I was a senior. I was already embarrassed enough because of Roger."

"When I met your family, I was never more glad to be an only child growing up." Bo laughed under her breath before moving to stand between Lauren's legs. The doctor instantly went about examining her exposed thighs, which caused Bo to shiver. Back to aroused, then.

"Are you forgetting that Lachlan, your brother, locked me in a dungeon?" Lauren was saying one thing, but her hands and mind were saying another. She seemed so focused, so intent on moving her hands slowly and tortuously under Bo's dress.

"I will never forget that." She couldn't hide the gasp she emitted; the dress felt heavy on her skin. Suddenly, the cold winter air in this room was long gone, and she knew it wasn't because Kenzi had remembered to ask Gram to turn up the heat. Lauren was doing it for them.

"Lucky for us all that you're the forgiving sort." Lauren surprised Bo when she didn't go under the dress. Instead, she guided her hands across Bo's curves until she reached the zipper under her left arm. Bo was right in her earlier assessment: One quick unzip and one shimmy, and she was back in her underwear again.

"Is this your way of asking for forgiveness?" Bo felt her eyes flash from the random intensity. One minute they were fighting, the next they were crying, the next they were talking about the future, and now they were prepping for landing. "Because I'm a fan of this way."

"No, asking you to forgive me for not telling you about my deal with Roger is my way of asking you for forgiveness." Lauren bit her lip again and raked her eyes over Bo's body. The open ogling was very welcomed, as Bo placed her hands on Lauren's shoulders to steady herself. "So, what do you say? I know you can, but _will_ you forgive me?"

"You know I already have." Bo's eyes involuntarily rolled back as Lauren moved forward to place hot, slow kisses across her stomach.

"Does that mean we can stop fighting?" She asked between kisses.

"Only if that means we get to have the world's best makeup sex right now; starting right this second." When Lauren wrapped her arms around her back to pull her body closer, Bo wrapped her own hands into long, blonde locks.

"Oh, I plan on plenty of that. Do you know how hard it is to be so close to you and not be with you completely?" Lauren ran her cold hands down Bo's spine, which always caused a shiver, both from the cold and the anticipation.

"I can probably guess." Bo's voice was already breathy, and Lauren had barely touched her. This was only proof of how much the succubus needed to get laid properly.

"I'm sorry I've not been the most attentive lover lately." Lauren sounded so serious, but she never stopped her slow kisses.

"Well, that was one of the reasons Briann is having a sleepover elsewhere tonight." Bo moved to pull Lauren's shirt over her head, tossing it across the room. That Lauren didn't protest the action was testament to how much she needed to get laid properly, too.

"Oh, really? Did you think I'd be that easy?" Lauren laid back on the bed and let Bo pull her pants from her body.

"Well…if you weren't, I always had the barnacle goose wine." Bo moved to crawl over top of Lauren, who was now evenly dressed for the occasion.

"It's not a date rape drug; it's just…a performance enhancement." Lauren looked over to where the wine was still sitting. Bo didn't trust to send that wine out of this room. The last thing she wanted to think about was what would happen if Kenzi had gotten hold of that bottle and drank it around Hale when she was supposed to be watching the children.

"Well, like I said, I don't need anything to enhance my performance. You really have no idea how delicious you are to me." Bo leaned down to resume her kissing. This time, it was firmer and more travelled.

"I can probably guess." Lauren smiled up at her before pulling their mouths completely together.


	4. Betty Crocker versus Lauren Lewis

It had been a long time since she and Bo had made love, and Lauren had almost forgotten how tingly and amazing she felt afterwards. A night full of slow and fast and hard and soft and slow again? Lauren was not complaining. Not that her brain could do anything but smile stupidly at the moment anyways. Even though her brain was working more clearly than it had in months, Lauren knew when to stop and enjoy her life. Sure, it may have taken some time for her to understand that she could enjoy her life, but in moments like this, not just the after sex glow, she knew. She just knew.

They had even managed to get their fight over with, so that was a major plus. Lauren didn't know how much longer she could have lasted without busting from the frustration. She had actually toyed with going to sleep upstairs in their old bedroom and leaving Bo down here, taking turns watching Briann. While she didn't want to leave Bo, it was still hard to be around her. Lauren wasn't sure if it was from her own frustration at Bo or her guilt catching up to her.

She hated when Bo was mad at her; her wife did the silent treatment really well. Lauren had always been a person trying to please others, so she always felt uncomfortable when people were mad or unhappy with her. With the Ash, that usually resulted in her being placed in a dungeon; with her father, it resulted in being harshly scolded or ignored. But with Bo, it was worse. Bo wasn't good at hiding her emotions; they were always apparent and out in the open for all to see. It was one reason Lauren absolutely loved her.

Still, Lauren knew their daughter was starting to pick up their negativity, and she didn't want the baby to be exposed to their fighting. Bo had started to become bitter, and it showed in their interactions. Since most of their interactions anymore had to do with Briann, their conversation was clipped and frustrated. Honestly, based on the backhanded insults and commentary lately, Lauren was surprised at the grand romantic gesture last night. If she hadn't needed Bo so much herself, she would have taken Briann and left the room.

Granted, the frustration had a whole lot to do with her. It wasn't just the deal she made with Roger and the eventual fight that was bubbling. Bo was a succubus, and they weren't having regular sex anymore. Even moreso, Lauren had come up with all of these rules about sex. She didn't even know where or why she thought of some of the crazier ones, but some of them made sense.

Sure, she had all of these rules about their sex life, but she felt they were necessary. After the baby turned three months old, she had toyed with putting Briann in her own room, but Bo had actually been the one who had insisted she stay there with them. Bo was the one being overprotective, and Lauren loved her for it, but that meant rules had to be enforced. Bo's overprotectiveness seemed to trigger Lauren's, too.

The hardest rule was not being completely naked when she made love to Bo. It seemed silly now. Why would she deprive them of feeling that total intimacy? It wasn't that hard to put on a discarded tshirt and sleeping shorts. It didn't take up much time, either. Briann would wake up and cry in the middle of the night, and Lauren's instincts would immediately respond, but they were in the same room so there wasn't much travel. That time could be spent putting on clothes instead of denying the full monty striptease Bo kept trying to give her. It was usually dark in there, so the baby wouldn't see anything.

Bo had actually really started getting bitter and spiteful towards her after their last sexual disaster. They had sex since then, but it was almost quick and emotionless; almost like it was a chore. Lauren knew it was her fault, too. She shouldn't have stopped when Bo was close. She had put the partition up for a reason, and Briann wasn't really crying; just stirring. Still, something had triggered inside Lauren. It was like her need to take care of her child overpowered her need to give it to her wife. She knew it had to be about her Hestian genes, but she didn't really understand why they would be that strong. She was still only a hybrid.

It was strange to look over and see a smiling, content Bo. Even in her sleep, she looked completely satiated. Lauren felt some of her confidence return at knowing she put that smile on her face. Even when they were fighting and Bo's needs weren't being completely fulfilled, Lauren never once doubted her loyalty. It would be so easy for Bo to go outside the marriage to get what she needed, and the doctor wouldn't really blame her for it, even if it hurt and the human part of her would have a hard time adjusting. No, Bo stayed loyal; she had stayed loyal through the pregnancy, and she was staying loyal now. Lauren knew marrying Bo completely was the right choice; she was glad she finally gave into Bo. She was right: Experiencing this even for a moment was better than never experiencing it all.

Lauren knew she was all logic. Bo's logic came from her deep emotions and ethics, but Lauren's emotions and ethics came from her logic. It was one reason they worked so well together; they seemed to balance each other out perfectly.

Growing up, living in that lonely house, Lauren used to fantasize about being swept away and meeting somebody special. She never really expected it to happen, though. Instead, Lauren had always stayed too focused on herself. If date or relationships happened, then they happened. She didn't actively go looking for them. She didn't need anyone to be happy; she had all sorts of things that made her happy. It was strange knowing that an epic one was destined for her all along. Now, holding this amazing woman while they slept in the afterglow, knowing this woman gave her a beautiful daughter, Lauren didn't want to think about what would have happened if she didn't come to the farm to help Gram. What would have happened if the Ash didn't agree to let her come? Better yet, why did he let her come? After years of denying her the trip, why did he let go that particular time? He knew Bo would be there, so what was his endgame?

Bo stirred next to her, narrowly opening her eyes to adjust to being awake. Lauren just smiled and waited for her wife's coherency to surface, which could take several minutes.

They were both humming; Lauren could feel the energy radiating in the room. Even just lying here wrapped in Bo, the sun rise starting to light up the room, she had already come up with over a dozen ideas with her research.

Lauren wouldn't admit it aloud, but she wanted the serum for safety reasons, too. She hadn't really destroyed the de-fae formula, even if she did destroy the samples. She had written the formula in code, so it would never be duplicated, but there were going to be all sorts of threats once Bo took her throne, and Lauren wanted to be prepared. That meant having the formula in their arsenal; this meant that Bo would have more chances of being exposed to the formula. So, Lauren wanted to find the cure in case Bo or someone they loved ever became infected. She wanted the fae bomb warfare, but she wanted to be able to reverse it. She just hoped it never got into the wrong hands. Lauren's intentions for inventing the formula were just to help Bo, and she wanted its purpose to stay that way. She wasn't naïve; any number of fae, even the most noble ones, would recognize the power in that formula and want it for their own personal gain.

"Mmmm…go back to sleep. Kenzi has Briann until the afternoon." Bo rolled over to wrap her body over Lauren, who just sighed and relaxed despite being held to the bed. "It's Saturday and snowing, so I forbid you to leave this bed until you actually sleep."

"I slept a little." Lauren maneuvered her body so that she could wrap her arms comfortably around Bo. She wanted to avoid cramps so that she could hold her wife longer.

"An after sex nap does not count." Bo placed a soft kiss to Lauren's clavicle, where her head had taken up residence. "You need to sleep, and work will be there Monday. My plan was for us to fulfill all of our needs; that does include sleep."

"It was hard to sleep with you mad at me." Lauren always let her mind fester whenever they were fighting. She would replay all of their fights and overanalyze every detail of their interactions. She would feel guilty about not telling Bo the truth. She would feel guilty for working on the serum and not telling Bo. She would feel like a bad wife. There were even times when she felt like a bad mother.

"Well, I'm not mad now, so please get some sleep." Bo started to lightly stroke Lauren's forearm with her fingertips. The touch made Lauren's arms feel tingly. It was something they both did to get Briann to fall asleep. It was something Gram did; she even remembered her mother doing this to Hadley and Maureen. She probably did it to Roger, too, but she was too young to remember that. After recent events, Lauren wouldn't be surprised if her mother had also shown her this small gesture of love. "Please?"

"Okay, Bo. You don't have to beg. I'll try." If she could, Lauren knew her now relaxed, happy state would let her get the much needed sleep. So, why wasn't she already asleep? Bo had been passed out since their last round, and that had been over three hours ago. While Lauren did get that brief after sex nap, it hadn't lasted long. If Bo hadn't hidden her briefcase in the closet, she would probably be doing work or reading medical journals right now. "Go back to sleep yourself."

"Mmm…no problem." Bo's weight against her side was starting to feel heavy on Lauren, but she loved the closeness. When she heard the soft, slow breathing, she knew Bo was asleep again. She always envied how quickly and easily Bo could fall asleep, and that included anywhere. Lauren had to wind down her brain before she could sleep, which could take hours sometimes, but Bo could fall asleep just by putting her head on the pillow. She was like one of those dolls whose eyes shut when they laid down. Lauren had one of those dolls as a child, but it had creeped her out, so she never played with it. Briann would not be made to suffer through those doll nightmares. She had less nightmares about the My Buddy doll Gram had given her, and it had actually resembled the evil Chucky doll from the movies. In retrospect, Lauren would not be getting Briann that doll, either.

Lauren tried closing her eyes, but she was having difficulty keeping them closed. It seemed she was more interested in staring at their ceiling tonight. They really should consider putting a canopy overtop to conserve heat in the bed. The high ceilings did not make it easy to heat this room, and it was the middle of winter. The approaching snowstorm should be their sign that they really needed to decide what to do permanently about their living arrangements, so that they could start really investing into things like heating blankets and canopy covers. The bed in here was much bigger than the one at the clubhouse and definitely bigger than the one upstairs in their old room; not that they were really using much of this big bed's space right now. They had enough room to fit the whole gang comfortably. This thought made Lauren chuckle, as that would be an uncomfortable group of bedfellows. Just her, Bo, and occasionally Briann; that was how Lauren preferred it.

They really should start considering getting Briann her own room, too. Lauren didn't want to go back to the sex rules now that they'd broken all of the rules and then some. Well, some of the rules they needed, like the breast milk one. She did not want to associate feeding their children with feeding Bo. At least that wouldn't last much longer, since she had a plan to have Briann off breast milk by month nine.

Feeling all of Bo pressed against her, Lauren knew that she wouldn't be able to abide by the "clothes on" rule anymore. Having Bo's skin connecting with hers was like marrying the world's most overprotective succubus over and over again. Her overheated skin always warmed up Lauren's cold one, so that they would be warm together.

Lauren felt energized, recharged, and ready to take on the world again. No wonder she couldn't sleep. She was wired and exhausted. Her body was so confused, it wasn't sure what to do right now.

She closed her eyes and decided that visual stimulation was not helping. Having Bo's hair right next to her nose wasn't helping her olfactory stimulation. The quiet breathing from her wife wasn't helping the audible stimulation; nor was the snowstorm or the winds outside. The one thing that did help was Bo's skin pressed against hers. The physical stimulation of being held and holding the woman she loved coupled with them no longer fighting caused Lauren to shut down everything else and just focus on her present situation. She was happy and content, and it didn't take long to fall asleep after she realized that.

* * *

Bo opened her eyes quickly and sat up in a panic. The loud crash of the snowstorm hitting the window woke her up and made her react in defense. After she realized there was no real danger, the first thing she realized was how cold she was despite the sweat drenching her skin.

Lauren was missing from the bed. They were supposed to be sleeping, so where was she? Bo looked around and noticed their mess from last night had been picked up, and she fell back in the bed, frustrated that her overly tired wife would have snuck out of bed like this. The cold air in the room hit her exposed skin and caused her body to react in shiver. Instead of drowning in the covers, Bo slowly extracted herself from the bed.

When she saw how rumpled and out of place the bed sheet was, Bo could only smile from the memory of last night's activities. There was quite a lot of activity; she had not felt this full and complete in a while. She was humming, and there was a strong intensity in her overworked muscles. On her way to the bathroom, she noticed that it was just before noon. She really shouldn't be surprised that Lauren was up and moving around. Even when she was running on no sleep, the doctor hardly ever stayed in bed past 10 a.m. Lauren always said she felt like wasting the day was not productive; Bo never had trouble convincing her when they were doing productive things in the bed, though.

They had made love for the first time in a few months, so Lauren was no doubt wired with super brain energy. Bo was actually surprised that she hadn't found the serum's solution already; after last night, she knew that her wife probably would figure it out soon. There was definitely enough chi passed between them to account for a half dozen orgasms each; Bo knew this hum would last longer than usual because of the built up frustration. Whenever they fought and made love afterwards, Lauren's energy was blinding to her, so she knew she must exude the same. Kenzi never had qualms about telling her to tone it down, either.

Bo hummed as she walked into the bathroom to confirm the glow in the mirror. Again, she smiled before she ran her fingers through her tangled, sex-tousled hair. She rolled her neck to loosen up the soreness there before brushing her teeth and preparing for the day. She didn't even care that she did all of this completely nude, despite the cold in the room. The fact that she got to be completely nude again made her happy. She wasn't sure she ever wanted to put on clothes again.

Lauren, with all of her frustrating habits and rules, made her happy. Now that she was full, Bo could recognize the succubus's influences in her emotions and responses lately. She really was cranky when she needed to get laid.

Admiring her nudity one last time, Bo smiled yet again before pulling on a pair of underwear and her kimono. She noticed the missing briefcase, though she shouldn't be surprised. Instead of actually hiding it like she intended, Bo had tossed it beside the row of laundry baskets in their walk in closet. Of course Lauren would find it and go do work, especially if her brain was amped.

"Frikkin' Lauren." Bo chuckled as she pulled the robe tighter and tied it to secure that the cold wouldn't caress her more intimate parts. She was still raw from last night, but she was about to follow the smell of cinnamon and pumpkin pie. That could only mean one thing, and there was no way she was going to let Kenzi get there first.

Bo made her way to the kitchen, where she found Gram sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee while reading a book. Instead of what she expected to find in this kitchen, Bo found Lauren baking instead. She hadn't seen her wife bake in quite some time; it reminded Bo of just how much Lauren was home to her. Not surprisingly, Briann was perched in her high chair next to Gram at the kitchen island. There was no doubt that as soon as Lauren crawled out of the bed, she grabbed her work and went to find their daughter. Bo stopped for a moment to save this picture in her mind before they noticed she was standing there. Since Lauren was smiling all goofy-like, Bo knew she was already aware of her presence.

"Bo, could you help me with these dishes?" Lauren's domesticity no longer sounded appealing when her first morning request was for Bo to do chores.

"Sorry, dear?" Gram looked up from her book, obviously not aware that Bo was actually there.

"That's for me." Bo wanted to pout or grumble, but her smile was too permanently plastered.

"Good morning, Bo. Did you have a good night?" Gram smirked that knowing smirk that always made Bo blush instantly. This was still technically her grandmother-in-law's roof, and it still felt strange whenever Gram mentioned or alluded to sex. She could only nod in response, but Lauren chuckled. Apparently, she had already gotten the "I know what you did last night" look.

"I wouldn't mind more nights like it." Bo rolled her eyes in amusement before coming to place a kiss on Lauren's shoulder as she passed her to do the requested dishes. When she got to the sink and looked in, she was surprised to find no dishes. Instead, the only thing in the sink was a pumpkin pie that had a carefully written "Thanks for last night" in fresh, fine whipped cream lettering. Besides chocolate, which was cooling on the counter, pumpkin was Bo's other favorite pie. However, her wife only made this whenever she was in a really, really good mood. Lauren was trying to hide her smile, but she was having as much difficulty as Bo was. "I more than half expected to come out here and find you buried in work."

"I already finished. Plus, you're right. I need to fulfill my…other needs this weekend." Lauren's eyebrows snapped quickly, and Bo sensed the renewed sexual energy.

"You finished your work? How long have you been up, hon?" Bo moved over to wrap her arms loosely around her wife's waist from behind. Since Lauren was focused on whisking the bowl's contents, she didn't want to disturb her. When she moved long blonde locks aside to kiss her exposed neck, Bo noticed that Lauren's rhythmic whisking skipped a few beats.

"A few hours. I did get some sleep." Lauren knew her well enough to know that was her next question. "I was too energized; I needed to get it all down before I lost it."

"I doubt you would have lost it." Bo kissed her neck again and loved the hitched breathing in response. "Mmm…you smell nice. You already took a shower? I was kind of hoping we could…conserve water."

"Please, dear, no need for innuendoes. It's not like I haven't partaken in a few naughty showers in my time." Gram pulled Briann from the high chair next to her and placed the baby on her lap. It was such a natural move for the older woman, one that Bo had seen her do on numerous occasions with Alexie and once with Kenzi.

"What's with all the baking?" Bo knew that her wife usually only baked when she missed working with her hands or needed a distraction. After getting the fight out of the way last night, she was hoping that the need for baking would diminish. Yet, there were more pies in here than ever before. Lauren was definitely wired. "Should we go back to bed? Are you that frustrated?"

"Oh…" Lauren tucked part of her bottom lip beneath her front teeth and stared at Bo's lips, which meant she was seriously considering the proposition. Bo had to stop herself from not letting Lauren answer before she whisked her away. "I…."

"Relax, Lauren. I'm kidding." Even Bo didn't sound convincing to herself. "Okay, so I'm not entirely kidding, but seriously, why the baking?"

"My parents are coming for dinner tonight, and I don't remember what they like." Lauren started fidgeting with the whisk again.

"Your parents? They're coming here…tonight…to have dinner…with us." Bo moved back from the embrace and started to bite her own bottom lip. "Twice in one month? How did we get so lucky?"

"It's my dad. He wants to meet Briann, and he's in from his education tour. Mom called while you were sleeping and said they were coming for dinner tonight."

"So, your parents." Bo cleared her throat, trying to hide her panic. What was she going to do with Angela Lewis again? It was always hard being around her mother-in-law who refused to accept her as a suitable mate for her daughter, even if Mrs. Lewis did respect her as a suitable protector. It was almost like she wished Bo had become her daughter's bodyguard instead of her lover. If Bo had been hired as Lauren's bodyguard, she would have eventually succumbed and become the world's worst bodyguard because she would be trying to just be around the body instead of guarding. Even though they were meant to cross paths, it was always up to them what happened once they did. Bo liked to think that in every universe, she and Lauren would be at least lovers. "Is that pie for them?"

"No, it's all yours." Lauren finished whisking whatever she was doing and started pouring the mixture into a graham cracker crust, which Bo knew was homemade. "I figured you'd sleep past noon, and I was going to surprise you with lunch."

"Well, waking up to find out your in-laws were coming to visit is definitely a surprise." Bo chuckled when she saw the flour that was now across her wife's cheek. She thought about using her thumb to wipe it off, but she loved smiling at how cute Lauren was in this domestic role. She was usually so controlled and neat, so seeing her with the flour across her cheek made her utterly adorable.

"It won't be that bad. Brunch a few weeks ago wasn't that bad. It could have gone worse, and we know she accepts Briann into the family, so it's not like my dad can say anything." Lauren closed her eyes and wouldn't open them. Bo moved forward to finally wipe the flour from her cheek before leaning in for a proper good morning kiss. "Plus, I may actually have some good news for her soon, so I won't feel like I'm walking on egg shells around her."

"Yeah, I almost forgot. I put those boxes in our storage closet. Whenever you're ready to go through them, just let me know." Bo had noticed how Lauren just stared at the boxes, which had remained in the corner of their bedroom for a week before Bo moved them out of there. Lauren kept refusing to open the boxes, and Bo was itching to find out now. Kenzi had suggested peaking in, but Bo knew she couldn't; not without Lauren there. It was Lauren's property, and Bo didn't want to violate her wife's privacy; even if she was mad at her at the time.

"Mmm…maybe later." Lauren moved to pull some pies from the oven in the wall. Bo stepped back and watched her work.

Kenzi came dancing into the room, coffee mug in hand and earphones blasting in her ears. It had been a long time since Bo had seen her best friend do this. The fact that she was this happy could mean one of two things: she finally hooked up with Hale or one of her other suitors, or she finally got Alexie to take a nap at a decent hour. Either one would make her this happy, Bo knew. After that first month, she really understood why Kenzi slept whenever her baby did.

"Morning, Bo. Based on Lauren's overly giddy bouncing this morning, which was scary as hell by the way, I take it you succubanged the hell out of her last night." Kenzi smirked as she danced a little further into the room, kissing Briann's head as she passed her.

"Why does everybody assume we had sex?" Bo couldn't stop her smile, so she knew she was giving herself away from her expression. Okay, so the glow surrounding her was a giveaway, too.

"Oh, like you didn't. I don't need crazy succubus powers to know that's what you were doing. There's no way you'd just hand over your kid unless you got you some of the doctor's sweet, sweet lady love." Kenzi bounced over to Bo and kissed her cheek.

"A lady never kisses and tells." Bo bumped Kenzi with her hip.

"You don't have to. It's written all over you." Kenzi walked to place her mug in the sink and started chuckling. "And apparently all over this pie."

"Funny, Kenz." Bo looked over at Lauren, who was blushing and averting her eyes despite her big smirk.

"Speaking of pie, what's with the Betty Crocker museum? It's like the a-pie-calypse in here." Kenzi pulled her earphones around her neck and sat down beside Gram.

"The Lewis family is coming for dinner tonight." Bo made sure her robe was tied tight around her body before coming to sit down next to them. Lauren was still busy in the kitchen.

"Sweet. I call dibs on Jordy. I swear that kid was cheating at checkers last week; he needs to learn you don't play a player." Kenzi leaned over the island to grab the bowl of candy. When she thought Bo and Lauren weren't looking, she would sneak a lick of her sucker to Briann. Bo just rolled her eyes in amusement at her best friend, since this was obvious payback for when Bo would do that to Alexie.

"Lauren's parents; not Roger, Kat, and the kids." Bo actually surprised herself at family dinner last Sunday; it was the first time they had been around each other since finding out that Lauren made the deal with Roger. While she had remained quieter than usual, she had also found herself digging her fingernails into her leg to prevent herself from snapping. Roger and Kat knew all along, but they treated her no differently when around her. He still acted like she imagined a _good_ brother-in-law would actl it was hard to believe this was the same man who had almost killed her. In retrospect, this deal was good for Lauren since he had started treating her with real respect and brotherly adoration. Maybe he was genuine in his affection, and it wasn't just for show. For his sake, Bo hoped he was.

"Oh, shitballs. You mean I actually get to finally meet your crazy mother-in-law?" Kenzi seemed a little too excited about that.

"You do know I'm still sitting right here, girls?" Gram coughed to clear her throat as an added reminder.

"Sorry, Gram." At least Kenzi did look a little apologetic, though her smirk was still there. "So…the in-laws, huh? That makes two in a month, right? Is this going to be a more regular thing?"

"I don't know. She just said dad wanted to meet Briann since he wasn't there for brunch." Lauren finally put her last pies in the oven, and Bo had to admit her wife may have gone way overboard this time. There was an assortment of pies on every counter and the one "hidden" in the sink. "I doubt it, but I have no way of knowing. I'm still not sure how I feel about what happened at brunch."

"Angela couldn't have denied Briann was her granddaughter. You know that." Gram stood to fill her glass, but Kenzi beat her to it, taking the opportunity to hop from her seat.

"I know that fundamentally, but Bo proves that biology doesn't dictate personality. I was her daughter and she ignored me, Hestian or no." Lauren always looked so sad whenever the topic of her mother came up, which was probably why she hardly ever talked about her childhood or past much. Bo found herself even more intrigued by that past now that she had seen where Lauren was raised, or rather hidden away. If Lauren were the glass slipper type, Bo would suspect her life was another bad, cliche version of Cinderella. The Lauren she knew was a far cry from a fairy tale princess, though. Then again, wasn't that the point of the story?

"I'd say Bo proved she was her biology last night, and I'd say you had no trouble studying that biology thoroughly, doc." Kenzi wiggled her eyebrows at Lauren, and Bo knew from the repeat blush on Lauren's cheeks that her emotional barriers were down right now. That meant she was saving her strength for tonight.

"You know what I mean." Lauren eyed the ceiling, obviously trying to hide her blush. Bo bit her lip in anticipation of getting her wife alone again. There were still a lot of hours left before dinner, and her one track mindedness had zeroed in on getting Lauren naked again. She wasn't sure she'd succeed, but the thought was at the forefront right now. After last night, after Lauren reminded her of how much they fit perfectly together, Bo didn't want that feeling to go away.

"Lauren, why don't you go take a nap. I'm sure you need one. It was a long night for you, and this will be another long day." Gram stood to wrap Lauren in a hug. Bo could sense the instant relaxation from her wife. "I can take out your pies when they're finished."

"Thanks, Gram." Lauren pulled off her apron and hung it on the hook against the wall, right next to Kenzi's and Gram's. Bo never had an apron, and that didn't bother her in the least. "Bo, Briann will need her nap soon. Are you sure you can handle it?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. No problem." Bo felt deflated; so much for getting her wife naked again.

"Stop pouting, babe." Lauren moved closer to place a warm hand against Bo's exposed forearm. Normally, Lauren's hands were naturally cold, but they had been in and out of ovens all morning apparently, so Bo felt nothing but warmth in her wife's touch. "You just woke up, and you're right: I do need sleep."

"I know you, Lauren. You'll sit up and read a book or journal or do work instead of going to sleep." Bo ignored the others in the room for a second, concerned when she saw Lauren pick up her briefcase to take back with her. "I'll come with you."

"Bo…" Lauren's warning tone didn't stop her at all. She picked up Briann and snuggled her daughter for the first time since waking up before following Lauren back to the bedroom. If she wasn't going to get lucky again, the least she could do was make sure that Lauren actually got some sleep. Tonight, they would have to deal with the in-laws again; maybe it wouldn't hurt for Bo to take another nap, too. She would need her rest if she was going to deal with the uncomfortable dinner.


	5. Bittersweet Symphony

Lauren didn't realize she was playing with her wedding band. It was something she did when she was thinking about Bo, especially when she was pondering on their marriage. For a person who could turn off her emotions, Lauren also knew she had a lot of physical tells. It was why she was horrible at poker, though she did admit to throwing a few games of strip poker with Bo. Now, she was just generally nervous, and she only ever wore the Ash's necklace whenever she was at work. It had become habit to leave it off in the house that she didn't realize she hadn't put it back on for dinner. Of course her mother would point this out to her.

She was surprised at how easily her dad held Briann, though he didn't hold her for long. It never occurred to her until now that all of her nieces and nephews weren't technically his grandchildren, and he would be quite aware of this. No doubt that her mother reminded him if he ever forgot, though. It seemed strange seeing her father holding a baby. Looking back, she never remembered him holding Maureen, and she was too young to remember him really holding Roger or Hadley. As far as her memory was concerned, this was the first time Lauren had seen her father hold a child. It almost looked like he wasn't sure what to do with Briann once he had her, but he still appeared easy about it on the surface. Still, no matter how much she wanted to remove her ignored daughter goggles, Lauren couldn't help but feel proud that she was able to continue the family line for him.

Throughout the meal, Kenzi kept glancing over at her, uncharacteristically quiet at the dinner table. Lauren had no idea how much of a relief this was until it actually happened. Since this was the first time Kenzi had officially met her parents, and after the horror stories Lauren was sure Bo told the young girl about their meetings, Lauren expected Kenzi to be her usual self and speak out of line. It was strange to realize your friend had matured and grown wiser. Kenzi knew now was not the time to add colorful commentary; not that her mother would have let her get a word in anyways. Angela Lewis was exceptionally talkative and cheerful tonight at dinner. It made Lauren snarl slightly, though the only person that actually saw the nanosecond snarl was Kenzi. It was a rare moment when Lauren's stoic mask fell; it was even rarer that Bo wasn't the one who noticed.

When her parents stayed past dinner, Lauren was surprised that Kenzi didn't take the opportunity to escape with Alexie when it came upon his bed time. Instead, the young woman stayed with them through after dinner cordials in the grand living room. Lauren could admit she was relieved for the added human company. Kenzi was family, too. Actually, she was more family to her than the two people who contributed to her birth. Her father no longer counted as human, as far as Lauren was concerned. He was so controlled by the fae that he thought and acted like them. She knew this because she was just like him before Bo. Despite brief moments of rebellion, Lauren could now recognize just how much the fae controlled her life. Her actions and decisions throughout her entire life had been because fae had been revolving and molding her.

She didn't mean to be so bitter; it seemed strange to finally react to her anger. However, the good thing about accepting her anger was that she knew she would get past it soon. Besides, her life wouldn't be where it was now. She wouldn't have Bo, Briann, Kenzi, Alexie, and the random misfit crew if it weren't for every choice, every decision, and every detail of her life before them. At least, her life wouldn't be the same. Sure, she and Bo were apparently destined to be together, but that didn't mean they could work if it weren't for who they were when they met. If Lauren had met Bo when she had first discovered her powers, if she had been the one to help Bo discover and learn her powers, she knew that their lives would have been so much different. Their love story would have probably bordered more on the tragic beautiful than the dramatic romantic. Tonight's dinner and Bo's backhanded civility had only proven that.

Bo had been difficult, as per the usual. The reason Lauren was tense when her succubus girlfriend first met her parents was because she knew Bo would act out. Even if Lauren loved her for it, Bo being around her parents made her nervous. She almost expected another slap to occur and was both pleased and disappointed when one didn't.

Dinner with her parents was becoming formulaic, though. There was some uncomfortable small talk, followed by Bo snapping at her parents for being disrespectful, and finally followed by threats of violence. When her parents left, Lauren didn't even care that they didn't touch any of the pies she made that day. Honestly, she had gone on a pie baking spree just to keep herself busy. Since she had finished her work and developed some great, highly workable ideas for the serum, she had exhausted of things to keep her occupied. While she could have worked on Nadia's case, the last thing she had wanted to do was think about her ex-girlfriend when her current wife was the reason she was so focused. Lauren definitely missed that feeling of pure satiation and control over her thoughts, even if she did thrive on the puzzle itself.

Lauren had to admit that she loved seeing her parents accepting and loving Briann. She also had to admit that she hated them for doing it so easily when they couldn't even say a cordial hello or goodbye to her. All they said was "thank you for our beautiful granddaughter." If she had enough energy to fight, Lauren might have done the slapping this time. That would definitely get the bitter out of her system; at least she wanted that to be true. Unfortunately, she was too mentally exhausted to do much more than nod and ball her fists at her sides in frustration. She was always good at thinking before she acted; Bo had enough impulsive behavior for the both of them.

Bo had spent the afternoon making sure she slept, which she would have if she hadn't been so nervous. When Briann was down for her nap, Bo had tried to initiate more sex, but Lauren had been too worn from the night before and anxious for the night to come. So, she just rolled over and pulled Bo into her. That was all she really needed. She barely got any sleep during her nap, but she pretended to for Bo's sake, even if her wife knew better.

However, tonight's dinner was actually uneventful, which did not fit into the pattern Lauren had been formulating. Her mother briefly asked her about the serum, but there was no real malice in her voice. Her father didn't get a chance to scold her to stay quiet because she didn't talk but once, and it was to formally introduce Briann to them. While there was the tense back and forth between her mother and Bo, no new or major information was revealed. No hints into their future or past were mentioned. At least that was a relief. Lauren didn't know if she could handle any more family secrets being revealed; she wasn't sure Bo could handle them, either. Not now, at least; Lauren wasn't so naive to believe there weren't more lurking in this house and in wherever Bo's family was from. She knew there were many more reveals to come from both sides because Lauren could feel them in the air surrounding their families.

Just because their dinner engagements were improving did not mean she would want to come to family dinners if her parents started coming more often, which they mentioned doing. She and Bo didn't even go to many of them now, and they lived in this house. Those would be the nights they would go to the city to stay at the clubhouse. She would make her weekly meetings with Evony and Lachlan during those times, so that she would have an actual work-based excuse to leave. Since she was still technically owned, she wouldn't be allowed to reschedule meetings. It was obvious Gram knew she did it on purpose, but Gram also never argued about it. She knew that Lauren was still uncomfortable at those big family get togethers.

Lauren did notice that Gram wasn't hosting as many big dinner parties as she used to; she hoped it wasn't because of them. Lauren never wanted to be the reason Gram gave up her family. Maggie White was too independent to let her one granddaughter dictate anything that happened under this roof. She was self-serving; it was how she had survived all these years. These were the times when Lauren truly knew her grandmother was Dark Fae. If Gram wasn't having many parties anymore, it had to be for personal reasons. Tonight was no different. Lauren saw it in Gram's face how happy she was to see her daughter.

Briann had gone to sleep, and Bo was off in the training room, probably taking out her frustration on the punching bag. While it wasn't the most romantic gift ever, Lauren was glad that her holiday gift to her wife was practical and useful. Though, it did give Bo another reason to try and talk her into finally sparring with her. Lauren would just smile, kiss her, and change the subject. She had no interest in ever throwing a punch again, especially one directed at her wife. Okay, so sparring was different, but it still felt odd throwing a punch after all these years.

Since her two girls were busy with other things, Lauren decided to sneak over to the lab for a bit. At least, her intention was just for a bit. Bo would protest if she knew she was here, but after this morning's notes, she really wanted to start testing her hypotheses. The snowstorm was getting heavier, and she had a brief thought that she hoped her parents made it home safely. They assured Gram that their driver was the best in the business. While Lauren was glad her parents didn't get stuck in the house with them until the storm passed, which could be several days, she was still concerned for their well being. In all honesty, she shouldn't have come outside to walk across the field to the lab. Kenzi was the only one who actually knew where she was, which was why she wasn't surprised to see the young woman enter through the automatic doors and disrupt her thought process.

There were barely any lights on in the lab, and the winds outside were whistling and blowing hard into the windows. Lauren looked up from preparing her slide culture to smile at Kenzi when she came to lean against the lab table where she was working.

"So, Bo's mad you left to come over here. Apparently, you were banned from work this weekend." Kenzi went to grab her another box of slides from the cabinet. Lauren hadn't even noticed she had completed a dozen observations already. She loved being in the zone. "I told her I'd come get you. It's her turn to watch the kids, though I'm rethinking my whole deal after walking outside in that craziness. You realize when you do crazy shit like this that you only further verify _my_ highly qualified and doctorly hypothesis that you're really a mad scientist. Tone it down with the work, Doc."

"Thank for last night, Kenzi." Lauren made a note and small drawing on her notepad before grabbing another slide.

"Are you going to make me a pie, too?" She started to swivel back and forth in her stool. Lauren looked up from her microscope to arch an eyebrow in response, though she did feel her cheeks flush from why she had written that particular message on Bo's pie. "I'm still thrown that you managed to get that whole thing on there with your crazy handwriting."

"I think we're good on pies for the next month." Lauren figured she would bring them over to work Monday. It wasn't an uncommon occurrence for her to bring her staff goodies that she had made in abundance. Work was always more pleasant those days, too.

"How much longer you gonna stay out here? Bo is pacing, which is not a good succubus trait." Kenzi swiveled a full circle in the chair, reminding Lauren of the young girl she had first met. It was sometimes hard to imagine Kenzi as a mother, and a good one at that. "She was driving me and Gram nuts."

"That's a Bo thing." Lauren smiled before marking another note for her new slide. "I'm just making some preliminary observations before I really apply the hypotheses on Monday. I want to see which elements and agents react to the formula so that I can eliminate as much as possible now before I prep my lab technicians for the actual testing process."

"Wait, so…this is it? This is the formula? I thought you destroyed it all." Kenzi leaned over to look at the slide, ignoring the small beaker next to them that actually held the formula. Lauren had to smile at the childlike curiosity and fear that crossed Kenzi's face.

"Sure, but it's not that hard to make more. There's a reason I wrote the formula in code and locked it in that hidden safe. It's also why I want to do this while no one is in the lab with me. I don't want them to know I made the formula; they just need to know I have samples of it." Lauren marked more notes and moved the slide into her marked slides box. She smiled again when Kenzi leaned away from the formula she dropped onto a new slide.

"What about Bo? You know she's not happy about this whole deal you made with Roger." Again, Kenzi leaned forward when Lauren started adding a new reactant. "Did you two work out your shit last night, or was it all avoidance sex? I was just assuming with the happy, glowy, 'Oh, Lauren, you are wonderful' shit Bo was vibing that things went okay."

"We talked through some things." Lauren felt her cheeks flush again, though she did make strong eye contact with her friend before leaning forward to observe the reaction on the slide. Nada. Good. She could eliminate hemlock. It felt good to know she didn't have to poison her siblings just to make them fae again, though the idea made sense this morning. If the formula was created to establish humanity, then it was logical to assume the serum had to come from a lack of humanity. That meant elements and agents that would kill a human were a possibility for inclusion in the serum.

"Oh, the avoidance with me instead. I get it. Big fight, huh? We all saw that one brewing." Kenzi stopped swiveling and decided to start drumming the lab table with her fingertips. Lauren narrowed her eyes at her when the exaggerated action caused the table to move. "Can't say I'll be glad to see this one pass. I've never seen her this mad at you before; it kind of scares me."

"It's over now." She cleared her throat, not sure she was comfortable having this conversation with her wife's best friend. Sure, they were friends now, too, but Bo confided in Kenzi. Lauren never wanted to put Kenzi in the middle of them.

"You sure about that? You are talking about Bo here. More specifically, we are talking Bo and her undying need to get you freedom. You really hurt her this time. Not cool, doc. I really don't want to break out my life-ending blow speech, but I was starting to think I wasn't going to have a choice." Kenzi let out a long, deep breath. Lauren looked up from her slide to see the other girl's worried expression. "Okay, so she has this nifty queen thing that can declare you free at any moment, but we both know she's nowhere near ready for that."

"I know." Lauren made one last final note on the hemlock slide before deciding to close up shop for the weekend. While it was already difficult to get here now, the continuing storm would make it impossible to get here tomorrow. There was a possibility she would have to cancel appointments on Monday, too. The realization made her pout a bit.

"Just make sure you don't let her do something monumentally Bo-sized stupid. Don't let her do something she's not ready for. Promise me, Lauren. I don't want to see her get herself killed; not in my lifetime anyways." Kenzi had never asked Lauren to promise her anything. Even as close as they were, Kenzi still hated showing her vulnerability. Since they both knew that Bo was one of the big things that made her vulnerable, not unlike Lauren herself, the young woman must have felt confident in Lauren's ability to deliver on the promise. Honestly, she didn't know that she could; when Bo decided to do something, there was no stopping her.

"I know you don't want to, but should we start talking about the fact that we'll outlive you?" Lauren put a lid on her finished slides and labeled the box before pushing it aside. She recapped the fine print permanent marker, holding it in front of her face, hands on either side of the pen. It gave her something to grip onto so that she could keep her own emotional control if Kenzi did want to talk about it.

"We will; one day. It's too soon for me to really accept my mortality, even if I'm placed in crazy death battles all the time because one or the other of you is going off all guns blazing with that glory of love shit kids are fancying these days. I'm still young and hot. Okay, so I'm a mom now, too, but I'm a hot mom." Kenzi ran her hands around her frame, staring at Lauren's. It was a move Bo did to her all the time, though her movements had a different intention. "This wasn't easy to get back, and I'm jealous as shit that you're already looking like the pre-baby Lauren."

"Well, it doesn't help when I bake all kinds of pies." She smiled before moving to store the slides. Kenzi followed behind her by putting away the materials across the lab table.

"Oh, no, pie helps. Pie helps a lot." Kenzi stretched her body to place the various vials in their spot on the middle and top shelves. "Never underestimate the power of a well-placed pie."

"You're not exactly famous for your moderation, but at least you traded booze for desserts. While not the healthiest substitution, your liver is glad for the vacation." Lauren organized her notes and files before placing them in her satchel bag. If she was going to be stuck away from the lab, she at least wanted to be able to ruminate over her initial findings. She wanted to make a really good game plan for the research so that time wouldn't be wasted. It was already rare enough that Lauren was trusting her team to do the various research, but she had promised Bo more family time. Lauren knew herself well enough to know that she would be in the lab all of the time if she was in the middle of a research project. She didn't want to give them another reason to fight again. Bo was always fighting her succubus nature, so Lauren could learn to fight her insatiably curious nature. "Dessert over alcohol is still a better choice."

"Yeah, but the desserts still make me feel hung over." Kenzi buttoned her coat back up before handing Lauren the extra one she had brought with her. No doubt Bo or Gram made her bring it, knowing she most likely forgot hers. Okay, so she did forget a decent coat, but she had been so focused and needing to escape the house after dinner that she ignored the logical part of her that said it was below freezing outside.

"And I repeat: moderation." She accepted the coat and placed it on, though she did decide to be rebellious and not button it. She would probably regret that in a bit.

"Lauren, I'm scared what Bo will do without me there to call her on her shit. You're too easily distracted and give in at the first sign of boobage. While I trust your judgment and your love for my girl, I'm still worried about this queen thing." Okay, so Kenzi did want to talk about it.

"She wants to change the world." Lauren shouldered her bag before moving to shut down all of the necessary equipment and lights.

"I know, but she never signed on to be the leader or the poster child for that change. She was happy fighting the little battles with the occasional big ass battle thrown in for good measure." Kenzi followed her out the automatic doors, her voice dropping to a whisper as though the exam rooms were full of patients who would hear her.

"Little battles are good, but it's the big battles that are going to really see the change come. Bo knows that." Lauren didn't want to admit she was scared, too.

"Stop being smart for a second and panic with me." Kenzi waited until Lauren locked the front doors, as she fidgeted from one foot to another. The visible air she was breathing out almost looked like it froze in the wind, though it was hard to make out between the rapid snowflakes pounding against the young girl's face.

"I'm not panicked. Bo will be a great leader; she's already proven she can be." Lauren finally managed to get the lock and tugged the door twice just for safety.

"Yeah, but you're bias, even with all your crazy doc logic. This is bigger than that. There are too many things out there we still don't know about." Kenzi followed close to her, probably trying to capture some extra body heat.

"You're afraid of all the things that are coming for us once she announces her throne." If it weren't so cold and they didn't need to keep moving, Lauren would have stopped to make sure Kenzi saw how serious she was. Instead, she kept moving as fast as they could. The backdoor to the house was just a few yards more.

"How can I not be?" Kenzi bounced up the steps and opened the door, ushering Lauren inside and stomping her boots against the rug. Snow flaked off in every direction from both of them.

"I trust Bo, and I know you do, too. We're not going to do anything Bo-sized stupid before we're really ready for it." Lauren removed her coat and sensed Bo's excited frustration, probably from realizing she had just come back to the house. Lauren looked over at Kenzi one last time before making her way to the bedroom, where she knew she would find her wife.

"For everyone's sake, you better be right, doc." Kenzi stayed behind in the kitchen, but Lauren felt a sudden need to be wrapped in Bo's arms again.


	6. Boxers or Briefs

If there was one thing Bo knew about, it was Lauren Lewis. Something was going on with her again, and Bo immediately scolded herself for not trusting her wife anymore. After the deal with Roger and her lying about it, Bo wasn't sure things would ever be the same, no matter how much she wanted it to be. She had lost her blinding trust in her wife, and that upset her more than anything.

She knew Lauren was flawed; it was her flaws that were most attractive at times. To have them backfire on her, though? To have Lauren feel justified to lie to her because of them? If they had continued avoiding any longer, Bo wasn't sure that Lauren wasn't going to leave her. If she could lie to protect her, Lauren could leave her just the same. Even with all of her frustration and need to feed, Bo couldn't make herself leave Lauren. She loved her too damn much. Perhaps that was one of her own biggest flaws. It was definitely one of her biggest weaknesses, and enemies would know that, too. Without doing much research on her, enemies would know that. Even knowing that she was putting Lauren at risk, Bo still never considered leaving. She couldn't help but wonder if Lauren only stayed because she had to.

This is what prompted Bo to go see Lachlan earlier than she intended. It was time to outright ask for Lauren's freedom, so she made an official appointment for next week. If she managed to get this one thing, she would not feel as obligated to take the throne sooner than she was really ready. She would be lying if the thought hadn't crossed her mind quite a bit ever since that family dinner with Lauren's parents. This dinner had been even more uncomfortable than any of the others because this time, they acted sweet and loving, but Bo could read their auras. There may have been a modicum of respect for Lauren from her father, but Bo could finally read what always felt off about their relationship.

Lauren's father was a genuine asshole, sure, but he was the one who actually felt no love for his own daughter. After realizing that her mother did care and after having brunch with her alone, Bo could discern the difference between their auras now that their physical separation was clouding their bond. However, this was something she felt she could never tell her wife. Lauren really did idolize and adore her father; it would break her heart beyond repair to know that the same man had no love and only maybe a speck of respect for her.

Lying by omission. It seemed to be a theme of theirs these past few months.

Bo needed to punch a wall, and since she needed out of the house after being trapped in there for a little over a week, she decided to spar with Dyson instead. When he offered the invitation, Bo was glad to escape for a little while and spend time with a friend. Ever since meeting Lauren, she really had been awful to Dyson. That was never her intention, but Bo recognized she had gradually shifted her complete trust and adoration of Dyson to an almost unwavering trust and adoration of Lauren. It wasn't fair to Dyson, but Bo knew subconsciously that she had ignored him a lot because of the mate thing.

Bo made her decision not to be with Dyson long before Lauren came into her life, so it was never a choice, even though Dyson had tried to make it that way since the beginning; since before they had officially met on the farm. He had spent so much time trying to convince Bo that this "doctor" was a horrible person that she had to admit her curiosity piqued at her ex's insane jealousy and anger towards a simple human. He had seemed so adamant that Bo should never trust or be near Lauren that Bo almost wondered if he had known about the visions and was trying to prevent them from happening. It wouldn't be the first time Dyson had lied to her about knowing who she was. It would definitely explain his moodiness about Lauren, who had really not done anything wrong or remotely bad to him. Okay, so there was that Emily chick, but hadn't Dyson won that one? At least he was nice to Lauren now and treated her like an actual person instead of human scum. Bo didn't feel threatened by him, and she could tell Lauren wasn't anymore, either. Sparring was a great way to reconnect with someone she once considered a dear friend.

Besides, this also gave her a chance to discuss the fact he was no longer mated to her. Bo could sense this in their interactions. When Lauren confirmed it the other night, she was glad her suspicions were correct. Having Dyson no longer bound to her was one less thing she had to worry about.

He growled through his punch, but she easily parried and landed a counter punch to his stomach. Again, he growled through the pain. Bo could feel herself getting stronger the more she practiced. Dyson was getting the brunt of that now. Before, she never could have ducked and landed a blow to him this easily. Now, she was doing it without breaking too much of a sweat.

"Everything okay?" She watched him bounce and shake his arms out to loosen his tension. He was just starting to realize that she was getting better, too. "You seem distracted."

"I'm fine, Bo. Nothing for you to worry about." Dyson smirked at her like he did when they first met. He was an asshole back then; he looked the part again. Bo could only smirk and raise an eyebrow in response. Secretly, she missed this Dyson, despite how frustrating he was then and now.

"What happened to that one girl you were seeing?" Bo ducked another jab to her face, but she didn't punch back this time. Today wasn't about winning; it was just about sparring with a friend. Okay, so a friend she had seen naked. The last time they actually sparred like this, they had fucked in his apartment for hours after so she could heal before they did the same thing over again. Sparring had been some weird foreplay for them once upon a time. Now, it was just sparring. It felt odd to do this and not think anything sexual. Bo could appreciate Dyson's body, and she knew he noticed her eyes shift briefly in reaction to it, but they both knew the sexual intimacy was forever lost for them. After Ciara died, Dyson rarely went out and was broodier than usual. She was worried for her friend, but he had recently started seeing some mystery girl. He wasn't talking, and apparently Hale wasn't talking to him much anymore, either, so Kenzi wasn't getting the inside scoop. They rarely saw Dyson anymore; for that, Bo felt guilty for not including him more. Then again, even though they were nice to each other now, Bo was still nervous when Dyson and Lauren spent long periods of time together.

"Still see her." Dyson smirked again before he narrowed his eyes and focused. His eyes shifted and his teeth bared, which made Bo feel a sense of pride that she made him have to revert to his wolf in order to beat her at a simple sparring match. They continued to circle around each other, and Bo realized how different she was from the last time they did this. She used to throw wild punches without any discipline or timing. Now, she had learned patience was just as important. This was one of those skills that Lauren had given her.

"And…what's she like…" Bo rolled her neck to relieve some tension. She wasn't surprised Dyson took the opportunity to swing. While she did duck, he still managed to graze her forearm. He still threw one helluva punch. She rubbed at her arm, but then she smirked again, her own eyes flashing blue in response. It was the first hit he made, and she would have a good bruise there. That meant she would need to heal. That meant she could convince Lauren to abandon her work for a bit and practice some sexual healing. If there was one thing that could get Lauren to immediately drop everything, it was Bo walking in injured. Bo knew she would wear a tank later when she went to visit Lauren in the lab, even if it was freezing outside. A half naked, injured Bo was like dangling candy in front of a kid. Her wife wouldn't be able to resist grabbing and devouring the offering. Bo felt her eyes flash blue in a sexual manner this time. When she looked up, Dyson had relaxed his stance, his nostrils flaring. It was so weird now to know he could smell her arousal; as long as he didn't think it was because of him. Wasn't this exactly why she had avoided him so much the past few years?

"I appreciate your concern, Bo, but I am capable of choosing my own partners. I have been doing it for almost a millenium." Dyson smirked down at her, his stance back, but she could only roll her eyes at him this time. Again, he took advantage, though she did completely avoid contact this time.

"Hence Lauren's comment about you being well travelled." Bo glimpsed a brief opening and jabbed at Dyson's midsection. She wasn't surprised he growled again when she made the quick blow.

"Well travelled, huh? Lauren would know." Dyson hadn't shown any jealous bullshit in months. Why start now?

"Seriously, Dyson? I thought we were over this." Bo jabbed his midsection again for emphasis.

"Just saying." He almost looked like he was challenging her. Again, Bo had to remind herself that this wasn't a real battle. Otherwise, Dyson would have probably been sucked dry already just for implying anything negative about Lauren. Yes, the woman was definitely her weakness.

"Well, say it less. That's my wife you're talking about." Bo jabbed him again. This time, she could admit it was more emotional response than patience and discipline. She wanted to smack Dyson silly. "Where did the return of the jealous come from all of a sudden?"

"Not jealous. Just reminded of who Lauren used to be before you came along." Dyson seemed to accept the next punch freely. His body was getting harder somehow.

"Yeah, well, she's my Lauren now. Whoever she was before? She's not that person anymore." Bo felt her anger start to take over inside, and she had to take deep breaths to calm the inner demon.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Dyson was playing into her emotions. He knew how to play her; they had participated in this game often enough. Bo couldn't help but think of this as a test: to show her how her reactions would cause her to lose her focus and purpose.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bo kept her fist ready, but she knew her stance was no longer balanced. She immediately went back to knowing Lauren was hiding something from her. Dyson was able to land a sharp jab to her left eye. She would have a bruise there, too. Lauren would probably be mad at her for that one. It was one thing to come home bruised because of work or a battle, but to voluntarily place yourself in a situation to be hurt like this? Bo knew why Lauren hated the physical connection of boxing. No wonder she could never get Lauren to spar with her, though after this session with Dyson, she might not have as difficult time as before.

"It means what you think it means. I've told you all along that Lauren couldn't be trusted. I'm just sorry that you had to marry her and get this far in before realizing it." Dyson deserved the hard uppercut Bo gave him in response. He used his thumb to wipe the blood from his split lip. "I'm not saying she's a bad person, Bo. Just…stop putting her on a pedestal."

"I don't. I never did." Bo knew she loved Lauren completely, but she didn't think she actually put her on a pedestal. She was able to recognize her wife's flaws. Okay, so Lauren wasn't that forthcoming about her past. She still didn't talk about it much, and there was still so much that Bo didn't know about her. That didn't matter, though. She only had to know who Lauren was now. Right?

"Ever ask yourself why the Ash let her meet you? In the five years she was his slave, he never once granted her request to visit her grandmother. Why then? Why over some stupid underfae cow epidemic that barely made a dent in the system? Anyone could have figured out that cure, even someone who had no idea they were underfae. He knew you were there at the farm. She knew you were there. It was all a game. This whole time, she's been lying to you." Dyson let his stance go and stood still to watch her reaction to his words.

"What do you mean?" Bo stopped in response. She never even realized that she had never questioned this. Then again, she didn't know who Lauren was beyond the stories Dyson and Trick told her. She didn't even know she was human when they first met. Dyson was planting seeds of doubt in Bo's brain, and she didn't like that they planted so easily.

"She was sent here to you, and she knows it. You were sent to the farm to be distracted, and she was the one doing the distracting." Dyson started to unwrap his hands. Bo couldn't help but notice where one of his knuckles was busted. The dried blood matched the drying blood on his lip.

"No she wasn't." She refused to believe it. Even if Bo wasn't sure she completely trusted Lauren anymore, she still didn't believe Lauren was in on some conspiracy. She could believe that Lauren was sent here to distract her, but she didn't believe that Lauren knew anything about it. "Besides, why did I need to be distracted? Nothing big happened while Kenzi and I were gone those two weeks. Whoever is telling you this crap? They have no idea."

"She has some idea, since she was there when the Ash gave Lauren her orders." Dyson steeled his jaw and raised his head to the ceiling. This was one of his alpha moves. Bo wanted to punch him again. "I have been seeing Emily again; she was still a guard when the Ash granted Lauren the leave."

"Emily? That girl you both fought over?" Bo was confused. Why would Dyson even believe Lauren was capable of this? They were somewhat friends now. Dyson no longer had any reason to be jealous; he wasn't mated with her anymore.

"There was no fight. I just won by default. Lauren could never have her, and she knew it." Dyson smirked, and Bo really really wanted to smack the superiority complex out of him.

"But…she and Lauren did…they were together. That's why the Ash put her in a dungeon and punished her for seeing someone fae." Bo finally sat down on the edge of his bed and started to unwrap her own hands, unraveling the tape from her knuckles as she went along. "You were the one that told on her."

"That's not true. Emily would never bed the help unless ordered." Even after all this time, Dyson still considered humans to be below the fae. How could he not see that without humans, the fae wouldn't exist, either? Why was he changing the story now?

"Check your facts, Dyson. I believe Lauren on this one, and you already know they were together, so I'm not sure how you lost your memory there. Whatever brought about this sudden rehatred for her, I'm not sure it's a good idea you keep with it. You should know I don't like things that threaten my wife." Bo crumbled her pink wraps together instead of bundling them back like she normally would. She threw them into her workout bag before pulling on her socks and boots.

"I'm not threatening her, Bo. I don't hate her. I'm just saying be careful." Dyson moved to the kitchen to grab an ice pack from the fridge, but when he came over to hand it to her, she just stared at him.

"Learn a new tune. This one's already old, and it wasn't that good to begin with." She stood and pulled on her jacket, wincing when the leather brushed against her bruised arm. In her anger, she had forgotten about it.

"Bo, please be careful. I know I'm not mated to you anymore, but that doesn't mean I don't care. I don't want to see you get hurt. You love Lauren too much; it blinds you to things. I care for Lauren now, too. I just…don't trust her. She's too detached." He didn't push any more when she shouldered her bag. Instead, he just placed the ice pack on his own bruised midsection. He was still shirtless, so Bo could see the nasty discoloration. She smirked briefly herself, knowing she had caused it.

"Then you obviously have no idea who she is, and there's a reason she won't let you know." Bo knew Lauren was detached, but it was her doctor persona that made that necessary. Lauren was anything but detached in real life, but she was rightfully careful about who she let see her intimate and passionate nature. Dyson would be the last person to ever see that.

"She's still a slave, Bo. You forget that too easily." He looked after her as she walked to the door and opened it to leave.

"I never forget that for a second." Bo turned back around to look at Dyson one last time before leaving his apartment. She decided that seeing Lachlan couldn't wait a week anymore. Seeing Lauren again could wait even less.


	7. One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Lauren sighed and took a deep breath as she walked into the exam room. Nadia should be dressed by now; so, of course, when she walked in, she got a glimpse of the tattoo across the other woman's lower back. The shape was familiar, but Lauren couldn't place it. Nadia didn't have it when they were together, but the figure was distinctive fae lettering and symbols, which meant she got it during her research on the fae world. Lauren had never really paid that much attention to the mark until now. Not that the other woman was letting her ignore it, as she seemed to take her time dressing. The sound of the door opening would have alerted anyone, but Nadia didn't appear to notice anybody else in the room with her. Then again, she could be doing that on purpose, knowing who would be most likely walking through the door.

Again, Lauren took a deep breath to calm herself before coughing to get the woman's attention. By the way Nadia slowly pulled on her tshirt and smiled over her shoulder, she had obviously been dressing slowly on purpose. Lauren rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smirk. She would by lying if she didn't admit it felt good knowing directly that somebody other than her wife found her desirable, especially since Bo seemed to get that kind of attention all of the time. It came with the succubus territory, though, so it never really bothered Lauren as long as Bo came home to and with her. Still, there were times during pregnancy when her emotional responses would be higher than usual, so she couldn't go out with Bo because she would get irrationally upset when other people checked her wife out in front of her. Bo said she found it endearing, but it only served to embarass Lauren.

"Hello again, doctor. I was wondering when I would get to see you." Nadia turned around and finally pulled down her shirt to cover her torso. "The nurses said you were busy; thought I wouldn't see you today. It's been a while, stranger."

"How are you feeling? Is the treatment helping any?" Lauren looked at the pages attached to the clipboard and noticed positive results on everything so far. The treatment she had developed was one of the things Lauren wasn't sure about lately. For some reason, it felt awkward working on Nadia's case whenever she was hyperenergized because of making love to Bo. Therefore, Lauren had to figure out a cure the hard way, when she wasn't super charged on sex energy; at least for Nadia's case she did. She wasn't surprised that the results and tests from the anti-defae formula case were coming along nicely. That was the one thing she always stayed focused on lately. After making love to Bo so intensely last month, her ideas and solutions all seemed to be working. Could it be possible to have more than one solution? She actually knew that as truth, but it seemed after all this time trying to figure out one solution that finding more than one seemed like overachievement. Still, Dr. Lauren Lewis could never complain when she solved a medical mystery. She turned back to Nadia to see her just smiling. "Everything looks good on paper, but how are you really feeling? Any improvement? How are your headaches?"

"Gone, thank goodness. Whatever you did? I owe you big time." Nadia came to stand right in front of Lauren, almost as though she was going to make a move to kiss her but stalled before actually leaning forward. "You're still brilliant _and_ beautiful."

"Thank you." Lauren took a deep breath, willing herself to relax her tension from Nadia's obviousness. Truth was? If Nadia had done this a few weeks ago, Lauren would have reacted differently. She didn't think she would have cheated on Bo, but she did think she would have flirted back just to have that easy connection with somebody again. The fighting this time really did put a hole in their armor. Lauren wasn't sure why Bo was still so mad at her, even if she was doing a better job at hiding it. No, not mad; upset. Bo was upset with her, and Lauren found she was tired of reassuring Bo every other second. Regardless, they both seemed drawn to one another still. Maybe it was time they started spending more quality time together again; they really needed to get Bo over whatever it was she was feeling. Maybe Lauren was investing too much time again on worrying about what her wife thought. She knew she was working a lot, and when they were together, a lot of their time was spent with Briann and the family. When they did get alone time, they usually took the opportunity to have sex before they passed out from exhaustion. Nadia was surprisingly a welcome sight today, since she wasn't surrounded by Bo all of the time. Even though she worried what that meant, Lauren was happy that at least something in her life wasn't Bo-centric. "How are things otherwise? I feel like I only ever see you when you come in for treatments."

"I've been busy with the magazine, and you've been busy, too. You're not in the city much anymore, so it's kind of hard to take an hour lunch when it takes an hour just to get here." Nadia grabbed her jacket from the plastic chair but didn't move to put it on her body. There were still remnants of snow from last week's snowfall, but it was nowhere near the blizzard that kept Bo feeling trapped in an oversized house. Lauren was sensing the predator inside was about to burst and take off running out of the house, snowstorm be damned. Luckily, the storm cleared just before Bo went berserk. The fact that Bo took off again as soon as she could kind of hurt Lauren's feelings at how easily she ran. "We should definitely get together more often."

"Mmm…I agree." Lauren stepped back, aware that she was physically moving away from Nadia to show her intention with the statement. No need to confuse the poor woman.

"You are always welcome to bring Briann; she's such a good baby." Nadia wasn't the most comfortable around children, which actually surprised Lauren. The other woman always struck her as the mothering type.

"Alexie was a good baby, too. You've been around him more than my daughter." Lauren smiled thinking about her makeshift nephew. Lately, as soon as she walked in the house from the lab, she only had enough time to kiss Briann and Bo and sit down before Alexie would crawl onto her lap carrying a book. Lauren could actually sense Briann's jealousy at that; Bo even asked several times when they crawled into bed if Lauren would let her sit in her lap and read her a story. Of course, Bo had asked for a dirty story. Lauren had to shake her blush away so that Nadia wouldn't get the impression the flush was aimed at her. "What are you doing this weekend? We are thinking about throwing Bo a birthday party before she leaves for the states."

"Bo's leaving again? Didn't she just get back from the states last week before the storm? I thought she stopped taking so many trips now that Briann was here." Nadia wasn't wrong. Bo had been taking more trips despite her insistence on staying home. Not that Lauren could say anything, either, since it didn't take her long to go back to her workaholic nature, despite her intention to stop working as much to spend time with Briann. Still, Bo surprised her, since at least Lauren was fifty yards away from Briann instead of an entire country.

At least this time, it wasn't for the Morrigan; she seemed to take on the opposite side by accepting missions from Lachlan. All Bo told her was that she was taking care of some things that were going to change their lives for good.

Lauren wondered how long it would take the cryptic to run in the family. Now, she had her answer. She was more surprised that it took this long.

If she weren't so busy with monitoring Nadia's test results and the results from the serum, she would have been more concerned with exactly what Bo was doing. Honestly, Bo seemed so happy yet frustrated. She was up to something, and Lauren was almost afraid to ask for more details. Part of her would always be the insecure college freshman that couldn't believe a cute girl would even talk to her, let alone marry her and have children with her.

"She should only be gone a few days. I'm not sure the exact details, but I know it's important." Lauren gripped the clipboard around her chest, wrapping her arms around it to keep it in place.

"You mean, you don't know? I thought you two talked about everything." Nadia seemed genuinely surprised. Lauren couldn't figure out why.

"It's Bo's job; she doesn't have to tell me every single detail. Usually, yes, she does, but it's normally because she wants help with something fae. I'm not needed for the muscle work, and honestly, I don't like knowing she gets punched or stabbed all the time. I would rather not know why or who did it and trust her to take care of the situation. She tells me things when she's ready; I'm not worried if she's not, and I could sense if something was really wrong." Lauren smiled at her friend before nodding towards the door. She had several more patients to see before she went back to see how her research team was faring with today's round of tests. "It's not unlike the look she gives me whenever I talk doctor-y stuff; well, minus the times when she's…never mind."

"It's okay, Lauren. I'm quite aware how attractive your super nerdiness is." Nadia leaned forward and lowered her voice as they walked into the hallway. "I initiated many a makeout session and/or sexual encounter because of it, if you recall."

"Mmm." Lauren felt herself blushing but kept her outside stoic as she walked her friend to the front to check out. "I'll call, and we'll figure out something for lunch one day. I'll need to come to the city for my meetings soon. Don't forget about Bo's party this weekend. I'll call with the details. You should bring someone with you; maybe that receptionist you kept talking about."

"I'll see you this weekend, Lauren." Nadia hugged her quickly before exiting back through to the reception area. Lauren sighed as the door shut back behind her, choosing to ignore the knowing look the receptionist was giving her.

Nadia suddenly seemed to rewind to before her agreement to back off. In the little bit of time they had seen each other lately, Nadia always acted like she was going to make a move but never did. Lauren wasn't sure why the suppressed feelings resurfaced, but she knew she would have to be careful. If Nadia was going to be extra flirty again, Lauren would have to be extra careful with what she said and how she acted around the woman.

Despite their added time apart and Bo's being upset, she and Bo were actually okay right now; at least as far as Lauren could tell. There were no big fights brewing, Briann was being good, there were no major threats that were obvious, and there was definitely an improvement in their sex life. Since there was a bedroom next door to theirs, they had seriously been considering moving Briann's bedroom into there now that she was almost completely weaned off of breast milk and had a regular sleeping pattern. There were days when she would fight so hard against sleep, which always reminded Lauren of Bo. The only thing Briann could fight about and win was actually falling asleep when she was put down to bed, so of course she would fight. She was definitely Bo's child.

Lauren smiled when she sensed Bo coming towards the building and was extremely needy and frustrated. After a long day seeing dark fae patients nonstop with a few emergency patients and Nadia snuck in between appointments, the doctor was extremely tired and ready for a distraction, even if she couldn't afford one right now.

Still, the day she didn't let Bo at least attempt to distract her from work would be the day she questioned her sanity, or at least their relationship. Even when they were fighting, she welcomed the time outs and distractions.

Lauren walked into the research lab and handed Nadia's file to one of her technicians, who was working on the samples they took today. She leaned over his shoulder and noted how well things seemed to be going before moving to the next work station. The rest of the technicians were working on the serum, though they had no idea what they were studying. They were just asked to report what they observed and told to wear extra protective outfits and gloves when handling the de-faeing formula. So no questions were really asked, she made sure the human technicians wore the protective gear, too, even though they wouldn't really need it if they became exposed. She hated relying on other people to do the work, but there were so many tests, and she knew she would never leave the lab if she did the work. Bo would never let that happen, and neither would Lauren anymore. Briann seemed to change some of her past go to actions, and she could admit that she liked the trade.

Lauren leaned over to observe another station when she felt Bo enter the room. She looked up and smiled as she watched her wife wink at her before going up to her office. Lauren knew that look, but she also knew her next set of appointments was in twenty minutes. That look meant she would be distracted for hours. Closing her eyes, she wondered why Bo went upstairs to the open loft area since her intentions were definitely carnal in nature. There was no way Lauren was having sex where her staff could sense and hear what was going on upstairs. Not again, at least; sometimes, Bo made a rational case that was hard to resist.

Sighing, she knew she couldn't ignore the woman forever. It was obvious she had already picked up on Lauren's panic.

"Dammit, Bo." Lauren walked upstairs with one last observation of her team working. She smiled, knowing that the answer or answers were here in this room now. That made her relax a bit as she took the last few stairs into her office area. Bo had already removed her jacket and was leaning comfortably on the couch in that "come hither" fashion that was her natural posture. Lauren smiled through her sigh as she moved to sit down next to her. "I have a lot of appointments in a little bit. Can we make this quick?"

"Quick? We are not back to the 'this is a chore' thing, are we?" Bo was obviously hurt, but she also knew better than to come here like this. "I thought you were…I mean, I could sense you wanted…"

"I am, Bo. I do. You know that. Of course I want you, but that doesn't mean that I have time." Lauren gently pushed long, curly locks behind Bo's shoulder. "Your hair is getting super long again."

"Why are you so busy lately?" Bo looked so sad. Lauren almost wanted to cancel her appointments this afternoon and do nothing but take care of her wife's needs, but she knew she couldn't. There was no way the Morrigan would ever let her take a day off just for that. Even if she was Dark Fae, and even though Dark Fae thrived on nothing but the pleasure and want, take, have philosophy, Evony was still a leader. There was no way Dr. Lauren Lewis, the Light Fae human slave on loan to the Dark two days a week, would ever get a chance to put her own life first.

"Other than this being fae cold and flu season, I do have the serum research and Nadia. Things will settle; we've been through this several times before. You know how I get." Lauren bit her bottom lip and leaned her forehead against Bo's. She closed her eyes and regretted it when she smelled that familiar honey citrus scent that was buried by sweat. From the outfit and the sweat, Lauren could tell Bo was working out before she came in here. She knew that Bo had gotten back to the farm from her meeting in the city, and she could sense Bo's combination of frustration, hunger, and exuberance.

"I know, but…" She almost sounded like she was whining and getting snippy at the same time.

"Bo…" Lauren took a deep breath before leaning back again, instantly regretting her decision to work. She decided a few more hours of waiting was better than the possible days or weeks of dungeon time she would be threatened with later.

"No, I just…sorry I came." Bo stood from the couch, but Lauren grabbed her wrist to keep her from going.

"You don't have to apologize. We don't have to fight about this. I didn't say I wouldn't; you know you and Briann are my main concerns. If you need me, you know I will always be here for you. I just can't…here. Not right now." Lauren pulled Bo back down on the couch beside her, moving her grip to where her fingers slipped into Bo's.

"Where then?" Bo was watching their hands instead of looking at her directly. She was obviously still upset about the rejection after having come over here in high anticipation. Lauren could tell she had worked herself into a strong hunger, which made her feel even worse. She had to agree with Bo that their daughter should not have to see her own mother as a slave. Once upon a time, she wouldn't have cared about being in a dungeon just to spend time with Bo. Now, they had a daughter to worry about, though. She couldn't do whatever she felt like and act like she wasn't a slave anymore. It was hard enough hiding the fact that she was the reason the de-faeing formula existed at all. When she had proposed to the fae elders that her lab work on the cure for it, she had failed to mention the cause or exactly what "it" was. Thanks to Lachlan, the elders knew this was a dangerous threat to the fae, and that was all they needed to know. Still, Lauren was so conditioned as a slave that she was scared what it would actually mean for her when she did finally get her freedom.

"Bo, there are a dozen people within two yards of us and nothing giving us too much vocal privacy. I have patients probably already in the exam rooms, so we're out of options." Lauren let go of Bo's hand and stood from the couch, making her way to grab her files from her desk while she was up here.

"What do you suggest, then?" Bo was nothing if not persistent. She had decided she was hungry and wanted sex. Looking at Bo's showing so much vulnerability, Lauren wished she could give it to her.

"I suggest you take a quick snack, and we can have a big meal later." She put the files back on her desk and opened her posture to allow Bo some small invitation.

"Big meal it is, then. I can hold over until then. I can wait; don't want to spoil my supper. I'll just go box for a bit longer; maybe run." Bo was nothing but energy right now. Lauren walked over to pull Bo in for a short embrace. Well, she intended it to be short. For a second, she thought Bo was going to give in to her short invitation despite her declaration. "Maybe we should have rethought the no walls in your office loft."

"You know I'm not ignoring this on purpose, right? I would if I could, but right here and now isn't the most…opportune." Lauren leaned back in the embrace so she could read Bo's facial expression. It matched her internal feelings.

"I know, babe." She let out a cold breath, which hit Lauren's neck and cheek. Minty fresh, meaning she was quite prepared.

"You're upset." Truth was, Lauren was, too. Now, she wanted nothing more than to take Bo on the couch.

"I'll live." Something in her tone suggested she was reminding Lauren that she wouldn't be okay with this for long. Lauren had a feeling she would need to call over to the house and request Gram watch Briann for the night so that she could take care of Bo.

"Well…how bad is it? I can maybe shift some appointments, though I might have to work late tonight." Lauren bit her lip again, deciding to give a little. Marriage was definitely a compromise. So was finding time for sex when a baby was in the picture. Being married to a succubus made it more difficult. Sometimes, Lauren just did not feel sexy, especially when she was covered in baby food and exhausted from work and staying up all night with a sick and teething baby.

"No need. It's not really pressing. I don't need it; I just want it…with you. I want you. I just got back from seeing Lachlan earlier." Bo had been working for Lachlan a lot lately. Lauren wasn't sure if she trusted his motives. Even though Bo was starting to trust and like her brother, Lauren still was questionable. Then again, she was biased, since this was the same man that actually owned her and used to remind her of her place just because he could.

"That was today?" She felt bad for forgetting, but she really had been overly focused on her own work and projects. She felt like a bad wife, too.

"Yeah, I told you this morning before you rushed off." To her credit, Bo didn't seem that surprised or upset at this. They really had been together long enough for Bo to know that Lauren was forgetful sometimes when she was solving a puzzle, whether it was blood fever epidemics or crosswords.

"Oh. I…sorry, Bo. How did it go?" Honestly, Lauren was frightened what all of the meetings and assignments from Lachlan meant, though she could admit that she was a bit relieved that Bo had suddenly adopted the family cryptic gene. The less she knew about Bo's work, the more she could focus on her own work. Normally, Lauren would be obsessed with not knowing something, so she was surprised slightly at her own apathy towards her wife's clandestine affairs. She didn't sense danger or actual sexual affairs, so she felt rationalized that she could ignore Bo's globetrotting missions for a bit longer. Still, Lauren liked to at least be in the loop about what Bo was doing; her adventures always seemed so exciting, and Lauren liked to document their lives in her journals. This was actually the first time Bo had mentioned nothing about her jobs other than, "Honey, I'm leaving. Be back in a few days; I'll call you when I get there." Since Lauren wasn't the type to just sit around and miss somebody, she had thought nothing of it since they still talked regularly and Bo didn't break their bond signals.

"The usual, as you can imagine, though I admit I'm a little bit closer to solving the infinite puzzle that is my brother." Bo chuckled, but Lauren could sense the tension.

"What happened?" Lauren could sense the energy between them change, so she wasn't surprised when Bo broke the embrace.

"Wait; you don't have time to let me bang the hell out of you, but you have time to chat?" Bo was genuinely upset, though she was trying to hide it behind an amused smirk. In response, Lauren went back to her desk to grab the files. She held them tightly to her chest, giving her time to think about her reply.

"I know once we go there, we won't be able to stop. We're back in that honeymoon phase again." She took a deep breath when she noticed Bo relax again.

"Later, you had better bring your A game, or we're going to have a problem." Bo walked to the staircase and looked down at the lab. Lauren couldn't tell what she saw, but it seemed to make her angrier. "Your little experiments are more important apparently."

"Excuse me?" Lauren put the files on the desk again and turned towards her wife, trying to keep the ire and volume out of her voice. "You know better."

"You have work to do, Dr. Lewis. Don't let me keep you." Bo started down the stairs but looked back up at her one last time. "Just for the record? I love the hell out of you, but sometimes you make things so damn difficult."

Without responding, Lauren watched her wife walk down the stairs. She could hear the pleasantries she sent to the nurses and technicians, but she felt the anger and frustration clearly. From afternoon delight booty call to a big fight? Sometimes, Bo was just as difficult.

Lauren smirked because even though they parted on a sour note, there was no way she wouldn't bring her A game tonight. She was just as frustrated and needy, and she planned on reminding Bo and herself that the difficult was more than worth it.


	8. Timeout

Bo walked into the kitchen, holding her side as she noticed a familiar and welcome face sitting at the counter. It was two in the morning, which meant that Alexie must have been up again and Kenzi couldn't get to sleep once he was finally down.

Feeling all of her muscles arguing with one another whether they were relaxed or sore, Bo carefully maneuvered her body toward the bar and poured herself a double dose of bourbon. When she downed it in one large swallow, her entire body shuddered from the harsh intrusion. It felt smooth and tingly once it settled, much like she already felt. Lauren really surprised her tonight, since she half expected the fight to just continue. Even though Bo could sense her wife's neediness, she did not expect Lauren to come in and snuggle Briann through dinner and ignore everyone else. It pissed her off that Lauren ignored her. Bo was even more surprised when Gram took Briann for the night and Lauren disappeared back into their bedroom. Scared of what she would find but knowing she had to follow, Bo had walked into their room and was immediately attacked. It was nothing but marrying body parts, sighs, and groans of satisfaction and release in that room since then.

"I know that look." Kenzi was smirking at her, which caused Bo to finally let herself smile. She had been so shocked, sore, and exhausted from the overly intense sex that she forgot to recognize how good and full she felt. The succubus in her approved. It seemed odd realizing that her succubus self wasn't the first thing that always came to mind. Lauren did a good job of making sure of that, so she never had much problem with hunger unless she was being stubborn herself. Bo had always known she could be more than her species; her life now seemed a far cry from who she was. "The doc really is your perfect match, huh? I have never heard of anyone taming a succubus to the point where she couldn't walk right for days. Lauren is officially the succubus whisperer."

"It was intense." She was surprised at the hoarseness in her voice, especially considering they had taken great effort to keep the noise minimal, as hard as it was for Bo not to loudly and vocally approve several times. She could sense Lauren wasn't much better. Whenever the usually reserved doctor engaged in dirty talk, Bo was more than vocally approving. Bo poured herself another bourbon before moving to carefully maneuver herself on the stool next to Kenzi. She hissed slightly when her sleeping pants rubbed against her sensitive parts. "Very intense."

"You okay?" Kenzi looked worried, and Bo smiled tiredly at her.

"I'll be fine. Sexual healing; it's my thing. It just hasn't had time to catch up yet." Bo was raw and sore from overworking her body tonight. "I know Lauren can get intense when we fight and we're both so…horny…but geez, Kenz. I have never seen her so…so…"

"Aggressive?"

"Powerful." Bo leaned back in her seat and felt her tshirt rub against the bruises on her back where Lauren scratched and gripped so much and so hard as they moved together the last time. It was like Lauren couldn't get close enough to her body and did everything in her power to merge with her. Bo healed the other marks and sores, but these happened toward the end after they reached that final orgasm, so the marks were still there. Her reserves were too busy healing her other parts first. "It's most always been good with Lauren, but my god, I feel like I can die a happy woman right now. An extremely, ridiculously happy woman. If ever there was a missed opportunity for a grade A sex tape..."

"I can tell by all the painful moaning and funny walking." Kenzi was being sarcastic, but Bo could see the worry she had. "Did she hurt you? Was this another one of those violent sex things?"

"No, not violent at all. Just…so needy…and _passionate…and…and…damn,_ Kenzi. I just had the best sex of my life, and I feel like it's…I mean, there's this whole…and…ugh…I'm afraid I'm going to crave this constantly. I'm so addicted to that woman." Bo downed her bourbon again and welcomed the full body shiver it elicited. "I love our daughter, but not having sex regularly these past few months has killed me. Sure, Lauren made sure I was fed and taken care of in the fae department, but the Bo department gets a little greedy sometimes and just needs sex instead of chi. Did you get like this?"

"Well, considering the last time I had any sex was with Alexie's father…I would say no." Kenzi just smirked at her, despite that not-so-secret reveal. She leaned back in her stool and casually observed Bo in that quirky Kenzi way that always made them both feel safe and loved. Then, she turned her head in a random aside to herself. "Ohmygod, I need to get laid."

"Am I being crazy? Do you think it's a succubus thing? Am I being too needy?" She took a deep breath as she leaned forward on the counter, gripping the empty glass and swirling the nothingness in there. Everything felt so different now that they were officially married and Briann had been a staple in their lives. This life was never one Bo could have imagined for herself. Domestic bliss was hard to maintain, especially when you were married to a workaholic. Bo knew it was her life with Lauren, that easy and complicated cadence they had before Briann, that she was truly missing. She could admit she was jealous of the easy, undivided attention their daughter got from Lauren.

"It's okay to be jealous and upset when you're not getting attention from Lauren, Bo." Kenzi always did know her, like they shared one brain at times. Briefly, Bo thought about teasing her best friend about having sexy dreams about Lauren, but she thought the serious undertones of their conversation needed to stay focused if she was going to really get all of this angst out of her system. She hated being emo Bo. She hated being upset with Lauren.

"To the extent that I am, though?" Sure, she felt jealous, but what bothered her just as much, if not more, was the fact that she felt guilty about being jealous. She didn't think there was any need, especially when Lauren gave her delicious surprises like she did tonight.

"I haven't noticed much difference." Kenzi smirked, which surprised Bo that the young girl was holding back what she really wanted to say. "You've always been jealous when other people get Lauren's attention. Why should having a kid make that any different?"

"Because she's our daughter. We made her, and she's perfect, and…I'm being stupid." Instead of dwelling much more on the negative, she decided to focus on the positive. She stood to make herself another glass of bourbon, pouring one for Kenzi. Maybe it would help her sleep. Plus, she needed to keep her gaze focused because she didn't want to see her best friend's eye roll when she said what she needed. "I'm working on getting her freedom."

"Same old song and dance? I'll bet Lachlan is getting to the point where he just pencils in weekly appointments for just that. It's okay to want Lauren's freedom. I get it, Bo. We all want that, but there is a point where a little bit crazy turns into full blown insanity. You can't keep going and expecting him to tell you something different." Kenzi's eye roll could still be heard in her voice, though. Bo closed her eyes to center herself before placing the top back on the Maker's Mark bottle and going back to her friend.

"I asked him, and he said yes." She noticed that her wounds were healing completely now, and sitting down in the stool this time was not as difficult. Instead of downing the bourbon, this time she took the moment to enjoy it.

"You what and he what?" Kenzi held her tumbler mid air, obviously not prepared for that admittance. Bo felt somewhat proud that she finally had the cajones and intelligence to just plain ask instead of threatening and telling him to free her.

"I went to Lachlan and actually just politely asked for Lauren's freedom. He said he would grant it if I could convince the elders myself that it was in everyone's best interest and that Lauren would still be a valuable asset to the Light outside of her servitude. Apparently, the elders are kind of afraid of Lauren more than any of the other humans because of her knowledge." Bo recalled some of her excursions lately, realizing just how important this work was to her. No wonder she was mad at Lauren for not paying attention to her, but part of the stipulation Lachlan presented was that Lauren couldn't know what she was doing. For some reason, he had said it was vitally important to her success that Lauren didn't interfere. That didn't mean she couldn't tell Kenzi, but her best friend had been so busy with her own kid and love life. Again, it was becoming blatantly obvious why Bo was acting out with her jealousy. Not only had she lost that constant attention from her wife, she had lost it from her best friend, too. Maybe that was why she was so upset with Lauren lately; she didn't have her Kenzi net to catch her and bring her back to reality from her crazy succubus emotions.

"Wow. That's…well, apparently insanity works now." Kenzi took the opportunity to down her bourbon, and Bo smiled both from pride at her latest mission and the amusing image of Kenzi shuddering. This time, she did chuckle a bit as she took another short, slow sip from her own glass.

"That's what I've been doing lately. I've been going around to the elders in the district. Some of them have just agreed but others need something in exchange, so I'm doing all these missions. I know I promised I wouldn't be away as much, but…"

"The end justifies the means; I get it, BoBo. You don't have to convince me, babe. What does Lauren think?"

"That's just it. I'm not supposed to tell her. Lachlan said something about stacking the evidence and something about it having to be me that talked to the elders. Maybe it's the Queen thing? I don't know." Bo leaned back in her seat and narrowed her eyes in concentration. "Still, I have tried telling her. Every time I get close, though, she's too distracted with work. I knew I married a workaholic, and I know Briann takes up a lot of our free time together. She's stressed, and I don't want her to lose focus. Part of my platform has been that she's finding this de-fae formula cure. They had no idea it even existed until I said something to them; they were surprised this was the secret "all important" research Lauren's crew was doing that they approved. I have four elders who won't consent until she finds the cure. If I add that stress to her, I'll be mad at myself. If I ruin this chance because I couldn't keep my mouth shut, then I'll be even madder. It's hard not telling her because this changes everything, but there is no way I'm going to make things worse for her right now. After all of this fighting for just that, I refuse to be the reason she isn't free."

"Oh, the perils of married life." Kenzi leaned forward, chuckling inside the empty glass she brought to her lips again.

"It's not just that. Dyson said something the other day that really got to me. It shouldn't have, but it still did." Bo didn't want to admit that the wolf had bothered her, but she could not escape the fact that she really didn't know who Lauren was before they met. Sure, she had met her family. She knew about the various awards and accomplishments, but she really didn't know much about her past self. She knew about past lovers, except for Emily, who always seemed like a sore subject. Her life with the fae as a slave before she met Bo was something that Lauren never discussed. She barely discussed her life before then, either. There were random stories here and there, but there really wasn't much revealed to her, and Bo found her curiosity on the subject was getting to be overwhelming. She finally realized that this was why she was upset with Lauren; not because of Roger and the formula. Not anymore, at least. "I can't stop thinking about Lauren."

"And that's different to every other day how? Love him to death, but Dyson still isn't the doc's biggest fan. I'm sure whatever he said was chock full of ass sandwich." Kenzi was right. Dyson was being an uber ass again, and she couldn't help but wonder if it was the Emily chick that was doing it.

"I never forget that she's a slave, but I actually think she does sometimes. Lauren loves her work. She loves it here on the farm, but if she has her freedom, what does that actually mean? What happens next?" Bo knew that one reason she kept hesitating about telling Lauren was also because she was afraid there was a small chance that the doctor would tell her to leave well enough alone.

"You know, this is where talking to your wife would actually help. I know you think you're being a great wife by not stressing her out more, but she deserves to know, Bo. You've got to tell her." Kenzi was right, sure, but the fact that Bo wasn't supposed to tell made it worse.

"I know." She wanted nothing more than for this to be easy. Yet, Lauren was close to confirming that she had found a cure, and there was only one more elder to convince. Elder Krane wasn't taking a meeting with her, and that was adding to Bo's frustration. Of course there would be something or someone that made this entire process not easy.

"And while we're on it, why the fuck haven't you told _me_ until now?" Kenzi hadn't done a lot of work with her lately. Instead, the young woman had been helping Gram out at the farm with the finances and business stuff. Apparently, a few years ago, the man who used to help her was killed. While Gram was good at doing the work, she really needed help considering she was still trying to run an entire farm by herself. Since she wanted to be closer to Alexie, Kenzi had agreed to help her. Every once in a while, she would even volunteer over in the lab with Lauren. Bo was not afraid to admit that she missed when Kenzi jumped at the gun to go with her instead.

"I've been so busy trying to keep my own life together." Bo looked down at the little bit of bourbon left in the glass before taking the last sip. It always went down smoother when it was truly enjoyed. Again, Bo flashed to the memories of just a while ago with her wife's deliciously smooth moves. She had definitely enjoyed that.

"And that's fine, Bo. We know you're a train wreck sometimes. Now, what else is bothering you? Let it all out, honey."

"What do you mean?" Bo felt herself swallow harder than she should. Kenzi was giving her that "spill it" look, and Bo felt caught.

"I know you, Bo, and I know it has to do with Lauren, too. So…what is it? Did you get her pregnant again? I do remember theresults from the last time you claimed 'best sex ever' with her." Kenzi picked up both of their glasses and went to rinse them out and place them in the large sink. Instead of sitting back down, Kenzi stood at the island next to Bo. She leaned forward, and it was times like these when Bo really saw how young her best friend was. Since it was obvious Kenzi wanted to go back to bed now, Bo didn't waste any time and got to the point. It was something she actually needed to do for herself, too.

"We've known each other for such a long time, but I still don't know much about her past. I thought that she would trust me enough by now." Bo bit her bottom lip. She remembered the boxes that Lauren's parents sent home with them months ago. They mocked her, untouched, since they were moved into their closet. She had to see them every time she got dressed or changed her clothes. "Those boxes are still sitting unopened. Why is she waiting? What is she afraid of me seeing?"

"You're worried about those boxes? Seriously, Bo." Kenzi couldn't hold in her chuckle, and Bo found herself pouting. She didn't think it was that silly. "That is the dumbest shit ever, BoBo. I love you, but damn girl, you really need to learn to just ask. Lauren loves you, but her past must not be that pleasant. In fact, after meeting her parents, who would want to rehash some of those memories? She doesn't want you to feel sorry for her or try to fix things from her past, since we all know that's exactly what you'd do. She wants you to know the woman she is now, with you, with Briann."

"She has told me about every single one of her past lovers except Emily, though." Bo didn't know where the sudden insecurity came from; Dyson had just resurfaced things she had let fester for a long time. Lauren had done plenty tonight to prove she was staying and loved Bo, despite their fighting, frustration, and busy schedules. Why should she care about the details?

"So? You know enough to know that was a hard time for her." Kenzi bit at the knuckle on her thumb, probably to keep herself from laughing again. Her smirk and energy were giving her away.

"Yeah, but…"

"No 'yeah buts.' Get over it, Bo." Now, her energy and body language were telling Bo that Kenzi was tired and frustrated herself. It couldn't be easy constantly having to listen to the continuing dramatic saga. Bo decided then and there that much needed Kenzi and Bo time was necessary. "Lauren probably doesn't tell you things because she doesn't want to fester on them, either. Sometimes, the past sucks. You just have to accept that it happened and focus on who you are now. Lauren did the lowdown with the Morrigan and Nadia, and she sees them all the time. You managed to get over that. Why does Lauren's past with this Emily chick even matter now? You have her for the rest of your lives."

"Dyson's holed up with her again. He was telling me…" Bo leaned forward, feeling defensive and protective all of a sudden.

"I'm going to stop you there, sweetcheeks. You're going to listen to Dyson? I remember a time when you were telling me to stop listening to Dyson's warning about Lauren. I never thought I'd see the day when I would have to tell you the same thing." Again, Kenzi was obviously trying to hold back her laughter.

"He didn't say anything that I didn't already wonder." Bo looked down at her hands on the counter. These hands had touched soft skin and gripped various body parts not too long again. These hands had killed people. These hands were deceptively strong; something she didn't feel at two in the morning.

"Is it a succubus thing? Do you have some inherent need to know about everyone Lauren has ever slept with or you don't feel completely satisfied? Some weird predator shit? Because, newsflash, I think Lauren possibly did a great job of proving who she belongs to tonight, from what you and your body tell me." Kenzi yawned, though she looked like she was trying to fight her tiredness. Now, Bo felt like an ass for doing the exact same thing to Kenzi that she was complaining Lauren was doing to her. Yes, Kenzi time was going on her agenda. Right after getting Lauren naked again if she hadn't passed out. Bo had left her wife in the bed reading some notes on her tablet to the soft nightstand lamp. Kenzi was right, yet again. Why did it matter? "Do you tell her about everyone you've been with?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Kenz."

"Exactly." The young girl didn't say anything else, just walked around her, running her hand across Bo's back in a loving gesture.

"I know. Stop being so smart and wise. I'm supposed to be the older sister." Bo swiveled in her stool before standing to follow Kenzi. It was obvious the big talk was over for the night, and Bo briefly wondered if she was going to need to carry Kenzi up the stairs. She looked like she was going to pass out. That was when Bo realized that having Briann changed Kenzi's life, too, since she was officially a single mother now. Before, she had Bo and especially Lauren to help her with Alexie. No wonder she was exhausted and chose not to do many missions with Bo anymore.

"Yeah, well, take it from me. Older sisters can be dumbasses sometimes and need a little guidance, too. You're allowed to mess up, Bo. You're allowed to feel frustrated and angry at being ignored, especially when you're secretly doing this big thing to make sure you have a long, healthy marriage." Kenzi wrapped her arm inside of Bo's and leaned on her slightly. She was trying not to be obvious, trying not to show she needed help, but Bo could feel the tension in her best friend.

"What about those boxes? What about Emily?" Since she had never really had long term relationships, Bo had always followed Kenzi's advice. She hadn't steered her wrong since she tried to talk her out of dating Lauren at the beginning, and Bo really needed someone to tell her what was okay in this situation. She was so damn close to just opening those boxes and finding out for herself. Honestly, that option hadn't been removed from the list yet.

"Do I really have to tell you to just ask Lauren? Talk to your woman, dammit; preferably when you both have come out of your sex comas." Kenzi didn't say anything when Bo started to help her up the stairs. It had been a while since Bo had walked these stairs, but she knew them quite well. These were the steps that led her to Lauren in the first place; she would never forget these steps.

"It was so good that I went into a coma and was shocked right back out...repeatedly." Bo chuckled lightly as she moved with Kenzi in the bed. The young girl tucked under the covers, and Bo followed her. It had been a long time since she had cuddled into the bed with Kenzi like two teenage girls gossiping about the cute boys and girls.

"Bo, my darling, as much as I love to hear about your crazy succubus hijinks and as much as I like Lauren, I have never been happier that you spare me details." Kenzi's tired smile indicated that she was happy for the company. She wasn't kidding earlier when she said that nobody had shared her bed with her in a while. This actually worried Bo a little; maybe they needed to get Gram and Lauren to watch the kids so she could take her friend out to a club or out to the Dahl. If she wasn't going to make any moves on her potential suitors soon, Bo was going to help her find somebody to at least consider seriously dating. Even when Hale helped her with the kids overnight, he had crashed in the room across the hall that Bo and Lauren used to stay in, which had now been converted to Alexie's room. It was the strangest dance around she had seen, and Bo couldn't decide which one of them was actually holding back more. Was it because of the human/fae thing? Surely after seeing her and Lauren together, Kenzi and even Hale wouldn't care about the fae politics behind interspecies dating. Kenzi needed a chance to relay her own details and drama; Bo wanted to pay her friend back in kind.

"But they are such great details. You may need some pointers for when you and Hale finally get down with it." Bo nudged her friend with her shoulder. Kenzi's infectious laugh was her immediate response.

"Get down with it? What century are you from?" It felt good to have the tension from the intense conversation dissipate. It seemed right to end a Kenzi conversation on a fun and light note.

"Stop deflecting. I told you about my love life; now tell me about yours." Bo settled back in the bed, trying to show Kenzi she was giving her full attention.

"Nothing to tell." Kenzi shrugged, but the smirk she was trying to fight gave her away. Other than her first boyfriend in high school, Bo had never taken more than a few hours to seal the deal. It took her three days with Lauren, which was her longest courting period. Watching Kenzi go so slow with it took more patience than Bo could have survived on.

"I doubt that. Succubus, remember? I do read your auras, though I have to admit I'm glad you didn't head down the Vex path I thought you were on. Friends don't let friends do Dark. At least not Vex. Some aren't so bad." Bo noticed Kenzi's blush. Vex seemed to have a slight crush on Kenzi, too, though Bo suspected he would never get off of his pedestal to do anything about it. Hale, on the other hand, was a different story. He adored Kenzi, and they already acted like an old married couple anyways.

"Yeah, but I doubt I'll be jumping Gram's bones any time soon." Kenzi's comment made Bo choke since she was in the middle of a swallow. The laughter that filled the room just then made a lightness come over Bo. First, Lauren's awesome, awesome sexual buffet. Now, Kenzi time just like it used to be. Things felt normal for a brief moment in the still of the night, and that felt good to Bo. When she went back down to bed, Bo planned on commandeering her own sleeping daughter from the extra room beside Gram's before she went back to sleep herself. It would make the night complete. Sexing up Lauren again could wait until morning. She couldn't believe it, but her body actually needed a break.

"Hey, if the skills Lauren just used run in the family, you may change your mind." She chuckled again; it felt good to laugh. It was the only cure to get rid of emo Bo, and for that, she was thankful.

"Eww, Bo…on several accounts." Kenzi cuddled into her bed further when Bo crawled out.

"I love you, Kenz. Look on the bright side: At least you're not having sexy dreams about my wife anymore." Okay, so she couldn't resist teasing her after all. "You still need to tell me what the bull riding dream was about."

"Go back to bed, succuperv." Kenzi just smirked through her tiredness and happiness. Bo turned off the bedside lamp and kissed the top of her best friend's head.

"If I can make it." Bo felt her own tired muscles and bones start to give into her exhaustion.

"Talk to her, Bo. You're both adults in a loving marriage. Start acting like it. You were the one who signed up for the long ass haul. Own that shit." The darkness made Kenzi sound like some spiritual guide. The thought reminded Bo of some of Kenzi's more interesting personas when they had first met.

"Good night, Kenzi." Bo moved to stand in the doorway, looking back into the darkness but still seeing her best friend's eyes reflected from the hallway light.

"Bo? Just because you have Briann now doesn't mean your love life has to end. You and Lauren are allowed to take couple time more often than once every month. The longer it builds, the more frustrated you'll get. Just…talk to her, Bo. You shouldn't need me to tell you that."

"I'll always need you, Kenz." Bo knew that as truth, and she hated thinking about Kenzi's mortality. It was a bridge they would have to cross eventually, even if neither of them really wanted to.

"Please, like that was ever in question. You wouldn't be able to survive in the wilderness without me. You'd be lost, like, all the damn time if it weren't for me."

"For real this time: Good night, Kenzi." Bo turned off the hallway light that was located next to Kenzi's bedroom door.

"Good night, Bo." Her eyes disappeared completely, and Bo couldn't see anything else. She shut the door and slowly made her way back to the bedroom. Since she was so damn tired, she decided to take Kenzi's advice and just enjoy couple time. Even though she missed Briann, she decided she needed to stop missing her wife.


	9. What I Really Need to Know

Bo tried not to, but she couldn't stop staring at those damn boxes. She had just meant to put another box of Briann's unused and outgrown clothes in there. For some reason, Lauren had decided that this morning was a good time for them to bond as a family before she had to make her way to the lab after lunch. Of course, with Lauren, that meant multi-tasking, so they had gone through Briann's drawers and siphoned out all of the clothes they didn't use anymore. Even though Lauren had wanted to donate them, Bo just couldn't seem to bring herself to get rid of them. These were the clothes her firstborn daughter wore; they were filled with vomit and food stains, and they smelled like a baby. Little ducks and onesies that had snarky things on them, especially whenever Kenzi found something she found hilarious when they went shopping.

Actually, that was what she needed to do with Kenzi. They hadn't been to the city just to shop and hang out for a long time. Whenever they went into the city, it was for business and never pleasure.

Now, though, those damn boxes of Lauren's were mocking her again. Bo bit her bottom lip, trying to focus her attention elsewhere by biting harder than a casual lip bite. She wanted to know what was in them. At first, she had been okay with Lauren taking her time, but Bo wasn't even sure that Lauren remembered they were here.

Bo sure did, though. While she wanted to respect her wife's privacy, it was becoming increasingly harder not to open them. Why did she listen to Dyson? Why was she letting what he said get to her? Not knowing much about Lauren's past was never much of a problem before, so what changed? Was it because she had this ideal of marriage as being completely open and honest? Was she mad because they were now completely married and Lauren had still not felt like she could open up to her?

The boxes weren't that large, and it wasn't like they were taped or anything. It would be easy to peek in and close them back up. It's not like there was any guarantee that anything about Lauren's past would even be revealed in there. It could just be more awards, certificates, degrees, trophies, and any number of things that Bo already knew about her wife. For all they knew, it could just be some of Lauren's old baby clothes that her own mother couldn't give away, though that didn't make sense considering she had two younger sisters.

Bo took a deep breath before shutting the closet door, though she did continue to stare at it. If she stared long enough, maybe she would find she had xray vision. She had seen crazier powers from fae, so why not? That way, she could tell what was in the boxes and claim it was accident that she saw anything, since her powers had just manifested without warning. Didn't Kenzi say that happened to Superman? She couldn't keep all of the superheroes straight sometimes; Kenzi was the comic book aficionado. Bo just smiled and nodded appropriately whenever her best friend made those references.

Bo laughed at herself, though she still stared at the door anyways.

Why was she so obsessed with these boxes? Lauren was an excellent wife, and Bo loved her without question despite their arguments and secrets lately. Lauren Lewis was still her one, and Bo was tired of feeling like the marriage was so damn difficult to maintain. She just wanted to be happy again; it was something they hadn't really been allowed to do for more than a few hours since they did become officially fae married.

"What are you doing, dear?" Gram startled Bo out of her inner overly dramatic monologue.

"Shit, Gram. You scared the piss out of me." Bo realized she had definitely spent time with Kenzi lately; she picked up on the girl's language too easily. "Sorry. I was just putting up boxes of Briann's old baby clothes."

"I thought Lauren wanted those donated." Instead of scolding her about not following orders, Gram seemed knowingly amused. "I won't tell her, but she will find out. When she does, I had no part in this."

"She won't be mad, Gram. Lauren is a creature of logic. By the time she does find out, I'll have figured out the most reasonable excuse why we need to keep the clothes." Bo worried that her own feelings about getting rid of Briann's things would turn her into a bad character on a show about hoarders. Each one of those little outfits contained special memories, so why would she want to give the tangible evidence away?

"I doubt you'll be able to talk Lauren into planning on another baby so soon." Gram's office was located in this hall, so she must be on her way to do some work this morning. Since Lauren had left after they spent time playing with their daughter and having breakfast together, Bo had been tasked with one simple thing. She kind of felt like a rebel for not doing it, but her reasons were anything but dangerous or violent.

"Gram?" Bo decided this actually gave them an opportunity to talk, since Gram would be the perfect source. Asking was better than grabbing Lauren's fae file again; from what Bo remembered, her life before the fae wasn't really documented much. There were minor details, like who she was, her slavery contract, her role, her family, and the various movements she had made in her research over the last eight and a half years, but there was nothing in there that told about feelings or past lovers or disappointments. These were the things Bo craved.

"Yes, dear?" Gram moved to her office door and unlocked it. Bo moved to follow her inside and watched as her wife's grandmother prepared to settle in for a day's work. Realizing her foot was tapping, Bo made an effort to hide her nervousness. "What is it, Bo? Are you and Lauren still fighting? From what Kenzi mentioned at breakfast, you two more than made up for fights that haven't even happened yet."

"Oh, um…" Only two people in the world could make Bo blush: Lauren and Gram. Whereas Lauren made her blush for sexual and romantic reasons, Bo would always seem to flush or blush whenever she talked sex with the older woman. Since she is a succubus, they all found her reaction funny. At least Lauren didn't try to study it, since the reasons were plenty obvious. Who would openly have conversations with their wife's grandmother about how awesome said granddaughter/wife was in bed? "It was nice, and no, we're not fighting."

"Well, that's good." Gram sat down in her chair and went to turn on her various electronics.

"At least, I don't think we're fighting. Not really." Sure, there was the jealousy thing, but that was all Bo. Lauren didn't seem to have that same jealousy. In fact, come to think of it, Lauren never really showed much jealousy except around Dyson, and even that was basically non-existent anymore. She was always so logical and accepting of Bo's biology and needs, so the doctor hardly ever reacted in a typical jealous manner. After dealing with Dyson's constant jealous diatribe, Bo found Lauren's acceptance of her flirtatious personality and succubus nature to be refreshing and necessary. Even if she didn't want to admit it to herself, Bo was realistic thanks to her wife. Monogamy was possible for her emotionally, but there would be times when Lauren wasn't around and she would need to heal. They already had plans in motion for those occasions. "I actually wanted to talk about Lauren, or well, more specifically, who Lauren was before me, before the fae."

"I'm afraid that's not my place to tell, sweetheart. If Lauren's not telling you, there's a reason." Gram leaned back in her chair, which reminded Bo of her meetings with Lachlan and Evony. It was the power that came from having the knowledge that someone else wanted. "Has something happened that concerns you?"

"Actually, yes." Bo bit her lip again and tried to decide whether she could talk Gram into telling her. She decided to at least try, so she sat down across from her. "Dyson has started dating that Emily girl again; the one that he and Lauren used to fight over, or whatever actually happened. I don't know much in the details, which worries me. I'm afraid he'll bring her around, or that he and Lauren will start hating each other again."

"Emily, hmm? I never really knew all of the details, though I was informed that Lauren was put in the dungeon for messing with a fae. I was a bit distracted by the fact that my granddaughter had still chosen the Light, even after learning about her family. Evony never gave me direct details, but I knew her persuasion techniques well enough to figure out what she did. She knew who Lauren was and used what she knew to her advantage. Actually, she had the upper hand because she had inside knowledge; Evony had been scouting her long before the old Ash. I honestly thought Lauren would choose the Dark, so I was surprised when she didn't." Gram connected her fingers together, steepling her index fingers and pressing them against her bottom lip. It was something Bo observed Lauren doing whenever she was working in her lab office. "I was even more surprised to find that it didn't take my granddaughter even a month with the Light before she pissed them off enough to imprison her. I was glad when you brought that fire back in her. Does she know about Emily and Dyson?"

"I've been trying to figure out how to tell Lauren, but I don't want to bother her. She's so busy with finding this cure, and I'm sure you know what I've been doing." Bo had no doubt that Gram kept track of every move she made outside these walls. Even though Bo was unaligned and lived in neutral territory, and even though she adored Gram, the fae always had a Big Brother feel to it. Even Gram was part of that inner circle.

"Rumors have crossed my path about your recent missions, yes." Gram leaned forward again, moving her joined hands to rest on the dark mahogany desk in front of her; her smirk was still intensely aware. "I'm surprised it took you this long to figure the simple way out, though I must admit you probably would not have succeeded until now. Too many things had to happen before Lachlan or the old Ash could have granted your request, especially considering you have no ties to the Light or Dark. When you married Lauren according to fae law, you married into the Light."

"Wait, so…I'm Light fae now?" Bo felt her entire body start to heat. She hadn't been aware that marrying someone who was owned meant that she announced fealty by default. That wasn't fair; if anything, it should be the other way around. Lauren should be free by default so Bo wouldn't have to jump through all of these hoops.

"No, dear. You're still the unaligned succubus everybody knows and loves. No need to panic." Gram leaned back in her chair again. Since the woman was shorter than most, it was funny to see her in a literal seat of power. Well, not literal in that it had super powers, though if it had xray vision, Bo would be talking power trade options right now with a chair. She should definitely be put away in an institution for even imagining that one. Gram just continued smirking at her, and Bo never really paid attention or wanted to admit how old the woman was starting to look. "I assume something is bothering you? You are married now, so why should you be jealous or wary of someone Lauren was with long ago?"

"It was because she was with that Emily girl, and now apparently Dyson has decided it was a good idea to open up old wounds. I just want to be prepared for the downfall when Lauren finds out." Bo had learned to come to terms with Nadia being in their life, even if she wasn't around as much lately for a social call because her illness kept her in the doctor's office or back in the city. Even though she knew Lauren was sad about this, Bo's jealous streak did not mind the fact that Lauren's ex girlfriend, who admittedly and obviously still had strong feelings for her, was not around as much. Now, Bo realized she would probably have to get used to two of Lauren's exes being casually in her life. She wasn't dumb; Bo knew this was part of the reason she was upset about the whole thing. "Who is this Emily anyways?"

"That, I cannot tell you. These are things you will have to ask Lauren yourself." Gram's smirk disappeared, which made Bo nervous. That meant the woman was extremely serious; there would be no argument about this.

"People keep telling me that lately." She knew she pouted a little, but seeing Gram arch an eyebrow in a scolding manner made Bo stand up straighter in her seat. This reminded Bo of when Mary Dennis would get on her for sulking about things; she used to tell her to sit up straight and suck it up. Okay, so she had been more polite about it, but the sentiment was still there and so was the immediate reaction.

"It's good advice; not just for this, but for a long, healthy marriage. Harold and I used to fight all the time when we first got married. Neither of us knew what to expect, and we would get so frustrated. Of course, it was vastly different than it is now, but that is beside the point." Gram's features relaxed again, and she stood from her chair and walked over to sit on the edge of Bo's chair. "One thing always remains constant, and that is communication. Talk to her, Bo. Ask her about it; if Dyson has started seeing this girl again, perhaps it is time for Lauren to give in a bit more to you. She still has some work to do herself when it comes to communication. Playing it so carefully? Not expressing herself or talking about the past? Lauren has always done this; even when she was a little girl. You can't expect her to change that overnight just because you need her to now. You may not get anything out of her, so be prepared for that possibility, but you have to try first. Standing around and moping because she can't read your mind does nobody any good."

"You're right." What was she saying? Of course Gram was right; the woman had over a thousand years on her. Lauren was Bo's first healthy-like relationship, and they hadn't been officially married even a year. "That doesn't mean I have to like it."

"Noone said you had to like it; you have to learn whether you can live with it. You have been seemingly fine with it until now, so what's changed? Just keep in mind that you won't ever get another shot at this, so why not take the time to get it right at the beginning so that the long haul isn't so rough?" Gram placed a comforting hand on her shoulder; Bo instantly relaxed. Those Hestian powers came in handy a lot of times. For the first time, Gram leaned over to place a warm kiss on top of Bo's head before moving to sit back in her own chair again.

"I miss my family. I will do anything for them." There was a strong tingly sensation that made her instantly crave to see Lauren and Briann again. Perhaps a family outing would be nice; Briann was old enough to enjoy things like the zoo. They could get her a stuffed animal to rival Alexie's stuffed snake. Maybe when Lauren finally figured out that formula; maybe when things started to calm down again around the lab. Lauren would never agree to leave until things were settled there. They would definitely need to start thinking about that Scotland trip soon, too. Briann would be one in a few months. That thought baffled Bo; how could her little girl grow up so fast? She was already crawling all over the place.

"Good. That's a start." Gram obviously had done something, and she knew it, too. Bo wasn't complaining, though. "You are both strong and giving and protective. I know you are both with exactly the right person."

"Hell, you should know, what with the prophetic showiness and all." Bo let out a deep sigh before smiling at her grandmother-in-law and standing to leave and let her do actual work. "I do have one question, though, and I don't know why I need to know this all of a sudden. Although, all things considered, you did just whammy me big time with some Hestian mojo. I shouldn't be surprised."

"Your mother." Gram smiled knowingly again, and Bo had this strong desire to know. Lauren's parents had met Briann, and Bo suddenly wanted that for her own parents.

"Yes." Even though she wanted to hide her nervousness at finally getting an answer, Bo knew she visibly swallowed and appeared hopeful. She felt like a kid who was getting news about when her mother was coming home next. "What happened to her? Where is she?"

"Your mother is safe." Gram closed her eyes and let out her own frustrated breath. It was almost like she didn't want Bo to know the answer. "She's human and living out the rest of her days in a place where no one will bother her. Lachlan actually made the arrangements, from my understanding, once he found out about the formula and that it affected Aiofe. He felt it was a just punishment to live out the rest of her days as human."

"Does she know about me and Lauren? The wedding? Briann?" Bo felt her panic start to surface. She may have intended to only ask the one question, but the answer opened up so many more questions. "Does she even care?"

"As much as Aiofe can care at this point." Gram crossed her arms over her chest, and Bo watched how she kept rubbing her thumb and forefinger together like a nervous tick. "Living hundreds or thousands of years with powers and youth, then having that stripped away with a simple scratch or exposure to a liquid? There is a reason Lauren finding the cure to this particular threat to faedom is monumentally important. If she finds that cure, you will have no problem convincing all but one of the remaining elders to grant your request."

"All but one?" Bo knew she had yet to meet with Elder Krane, but she did finally manage to get a meeting scheduled. "Krane?"

"That would be Dr. Krane. She is a complicated woman with very conservative ideals. She has a superiority complex like no other, and she will not be impressed with a formula. If you even mention it, she will probably laugh at you and suggest that she is brilliant enough to find the cure on her own. Don't let her fool you, Bo. She's the most intelligent idiot in the Light Fae clan. She's old and powerful, and she has no qualms about putting you in your place for being unaligned." Gram closed her eyes, and they both seemed to sigh at the same time. Synchronized sighing; if only that were a sport. "Be very careful at that meeting; you may even consider taking Light Fae backup, or at least borrow one of Lachlan's entourage. If someone in the Ash's keep is with you, she will take you more seriously, though it will not be by much."

"Yay." Bo rubbed her palm across her face to release the sudden tension headache.

"She does know what she's doing; she is a decorated general from the Great Fae War. She is intelligent and intimidating. There is a reason she is the most respected member of the Light Fae Elders Council. Just be careful, and be prepared to be told no." Gram's smirk was long gone now; replaced by that seriousness that Bo attributed to Lauren. Whenever her wife gave that look, Bo knew the situation was not the time for jokes or pleasantries. This angered her more when she realized that she should have done more research on the Elders Council; she really should not have been stubborn. She should have brought Kenzi in on this instead of assuming she had some superiority complex that meant she could do this on her own. In situations like this, Bo was reminded just how vulnerable and unpowerful she really was. It was refreshing and scary at the same time.

"Does that mean I will never get there? Is all of this for nothing?" Bo felt defeated already, though she could recognize that knowing this going in was better than finding out and being crushed when she got there. The last thing she needed was to let her emotions and anger at the woman cause her to lose any chance at swaying her opinion.

"I didn't say that. Just be prepared for her to say no. Be prepared for anything." Gram had obviously dealt with this woman before, and much like Gram was prone to do, she was obviously not going to give much more than this. No wonder Lauren was so closed off and secretive about her past; it ran in the family.

"That's it?" Bo didn't mean to sound so upset or snarky, but she could tell by the other woman's scolding and amused facial expression that she did anyways.

"That's it." Gram chuckled derisively, but Bo couldn't find the funny. She could only find the defeat and the anger that came with that sensation. All of her work and missions lately were for one ultimate goal: To get Lauren her freedom. Now, her extreme enthusiasm and optimism about finally getting that was crushed. Sighing and being overly dramatic about letting out her breath, Bo stood and made for the exit. She wasn't surprised when Gram let her go without calling her back. Instead, Bo found herself out in a large, cold, empty hallway again. The doors were all closed, shutting out everything that was behind them. All she could really think about now was finding creative methods to convincing Elder Krane.

In all honesty, Bo was glad for the interruption in her ego. These were the things she would definitely need when they decided it was time to announce her throne. One of the things Bo feared the most was losing herself in the power; Trick had warned her as much. Surprisingly, Gram had never really mentioned much about it, but Bo knew. If she was going to survive centuries or millienia of queendom, or a month or a day, she was going to need somebody to constantly humble her. History was one subject Bo actually paid close attention to, mostly because the young history teacher was extremely handsome and smelled nice, but she remembered that a lot of great leaders fell because of their hubris. If there was one thing Bo didn't want for her future, it was to be taken away by one of the biggest mistakes fae made: believing they were the best and had no faults. Perhaps, in the end, this would be her undoing, as well. She hoped not; for the sake of her and her family.


	10. To Be or Not to Be

Lauren stared at the sketch she had drawn of Nadia's tattoo for what felt like hours. Honestly, she had lost track of time again, which was not an uncommon occurrence for her when she was in work mode, but she didn't even realize that she was late for dinner back at the house. No matter how busy she had been lately, she always seemed to stop work so she could grab dinner with her family, even if she had to go right back to work afterwards.

Instead of dwelling on it, surprised that Bo hadn't called, Lauren rubbed her entire palms up and down her face, trying to quell the tension and frustration she felt in her eyes. Feeling her eye constantly twitch, even as she tried to sleep, was just another physical representation of her stress. Even though she had found the cure, possibly several options for the cure, Lauren still felt the work in her entire being. Until she had 100% positive results, she could not be satisfied; she could not rest.

She missed Bo.

Lauren was actually surprised at that revelation considering her attitude and actions lately. Since she had been so involved in her work, she had moments where she actually forgot she had a daughter and a wife. The only thing that existed in her world was discovering the answers, and this made her feel guilty. This response was very four years ago Lauren, so why did she allow herself to fall so easily back in the pattern?

If she was honest with herself, Lauren would admit she missed the puzzle. She missed the stress, so when she was in a position to alleviate and diminish that stress, she found ways to make it true, even if it was psychological. Her work right now wasn't that hard; she didn't even need to be in the lab or office as much as she was. Briefly, she wondered if she was avoiding Bo, but she realized that wasn't entirely true. Despite their frustration and fighting lately, Lauren still wanted nothing more than to fall into Bo. That was something they were both really good at doing.

Maybe that was the problem. Bo was being dramatic, ridiculously so, about their situation. While Lauren could understand it scientifically on a succubus-nature standpoint, that didn't make her any less upset when Bo tried to initiate sex at the most inopportune times or in the most inopportune places. Back in the city last week, when they had gone in for weekly meetings with the fae leaders, her one-track-minded succubus wife had tried coercing Lauren into dropping everything so that Bo could watch her masturbate in the secluded corner they sat at in a McDonald's. Lauren didn't even like McDonald's, and Briann was not old enough to really pretend to enjoy the sway of a kid's meal, so they had gone for Bo's benefit. However, when the succubus proposed the overly exposed sexual activity to take care of another hunger that was seemingly just as unhealthy as the place they were in, Lauren became angry. She had to leave the restaurant and lock herself in the car before she actually made a scene. In retrospect, Lauren didn't know why she reacted so strongly to that; it wasn't even but a little over a year ago that she would have probably said yes, albeit in a different type of restaurant and not in the wide open. Once upon a time, Lauren couldn't deny Bo anything she desired. Kids definitely changed things.

When she was little, Gram used to take them to McDonald's. Lauren couldn't remember if she actually liked the food then, since she had drowned so much of it in ketchup just like Grumps did. To this day, she still couldn't eat anything with ketchup; she had her fill and then some as a child. In fact, her grandparents' old bookkeeper, Tomas McGillen, used to give her several bottles of ketchup every Christmas because he called her the Ketchup Princess. She smiled at the memory; she hadn't thought about him or the "annual tomato sauce gift," as he referred to it in his thick Welsh accent, in such a long time. Not since she had done his autopsy a few years back. His body had been stabbed repeatedly, though his actual cause of death was Basilisk poison. That autopsy and the Basilisk discovery actually had helped Bo solve a major case; it was one of the first ones they actually worked together. Lauren couldn't help but smile fondly at that particular memory, as well. It was when she and Bo had gotten back together after that first farm disaster. That seemed so long ago now. Had they really known each other for almost three and a half years already? Was their little girl really almost a year old? Geez, Alexie was turning two this month. Where was time going?

"Shit." Lauren's expletive even surprised her, as her brain caught up with her mouth. Usually, it was the other way around, but this time, her mouth reacted right as she realized where she had seen this tattoo before. Tomas had it around his navel when she did his autopsy. She remembered making note of it because he didn't have it when she was little and he would help Grumps teach her and Roger to swim in the lake.

There was another case several months later with the same mark: the dead hybrid woman that had prompted Lauren to discover her own hybrid genetics. Since these two had no connection, she had only made a casual note in her files about the similar tattoo. They had both died gruesome deaths, and now Nadia bore that mark, as well.

Of course, it made sense. Basilisk poison wouldn't show on a tox screening until after death. When the person was alive, the poison was absorbed by the pores and excreted through sweat. It was why so much was needed to actually kill a person and leave residual poison in the body after death. It would be hard to detect, but it made perfect sense when it came to Nadia's symptoms. Someone was slowly torturing her friend with this fae poison, and Lauren didn't like the thought of Nadia dying a slow death.

Why hadn't the woman said how much she actually hurt? She always said an 6 on the pain scale. Traditionally, Lauren had learned in medical school from one of her more sardonic professors that people lied about the scale; they usually overexaggerated, but there were a few that would underexaggerate so that they would not look weak. Nadia had to be suffering more than a 6 if Lauren was correct about the Basilisk. It should be closer to a 9, possibly a 10 in some cases. Why would she do that? Of all of her patients right now, Nadia was the one who should know how important being honest with your doctor is if you want an accurate diagnosis. What the hell was she thinking?

Lauren crossed her arms over her chest, staring out the windows to the darkness outside, refusing to look at the picture of the tattoo again. It was a Light Fae symbol, she knew that much, but she had yet to identify it. The last thing she wanted was to ask Lachlan for help; it wasn't uncommon for him to threaten violence or solitary to her when he felt she asked too many questions or refused to do something. Even now, he loved to threaten her with those things, just to prove he still could. As though she needed a reminder that she was still a slave. Nadia had mentioned the old Ash had hired her, and Lauren was at that point where she wouldn't put a big conspiracy past the fae. Even though she had a past with Evony that was beyond professional, Lauren didn't trust Lachlan at all, even if he was Bo's brother and had been key in helping get her residual freedom.

Lauren was almost afraid that she would have several more years of pent up frustration and anger at the fae for enslaving her that she would be too bitter when she did actually get her freedom. Since they were finding the cure now, her siblings would not die within a lifetime, so she knew that the next event that would occur to get her freedom was when Bo decided to fully declare her throne. She could bite her tongue until then and keep playing nice; she had just learned it was okay not to like it anymore, even if it scared her to know what would happen once she did get her freedom.

Well, not every aspect was horrible. She did adore her job. She was doing exactly what she imagined she would, with a few slight fae-based changes, when she had entered med school. She was saving lives, healing the sick, helping the helpless, and making breakthroughs in science.

Now that she had a better theory, something more tangible and plausible to help Nadia, Lauren just had to discover how to detect Basilisk poison from a live specimen while also trying to track a Basilisk to study and from which to find an antidote. If she had any sort of precognitive abilities, she would never have told Bo how to take that Basilisk off life support. Maybe she could do some digging into that pharmaceutical company to see if any of their research was linked, or if it at least had some hints into what she needed to know.

At least now, Lauren had a better start than she did when she started staring at the drawing for the umpteenth time after the lab closed down for the night. If Bo weren't off globe-trotting right now, she would actually suggest a night in once Briann went to sleep. They were actually working on converting the room next door into a bedroom for their daughter, so that they would have a little more privacy in their private moments without fear of traumatizing their poor kid. Lauren couldn't imagine it would be easy growing up as a succubus's daughter. Actually, she should start considering doing some tests on Briann to see if she held any fae DNA. Well, not "if," more like what kind. Lauren decided she did want to prepared to help her daughter once she hit puberty and her fae powers surfaced. Still, having a mom that was always trying to get your other mom naked? That couldn't be easy for a kid to understand why it was necessary that the parents had to have alone time, or else Mommy Bo would do something stupid, which could possibly prompt Mommy Lauren to do something equally as stupid. They had done such a good job at monogamy; why tempt fate?

It would figure that Lauren would be in the mood, and her always-ready-to-go succubus wife was a country away. Even with Bo not really being gone for long periods of time, Lauren was gradually becoming more curious what her wife was doing taking so many trips to various parts of the United States and Canada. Something about that seemed strange, especially when she would deflect the conversation by trying to coerce one of those inopportune sexy moments. Aristotle had a word for that: kairos. As a rhetorical device, it means to find the perfect timing. Bo definitely did not study Greek philosophy.

She loved that woman so damn much that it still scared her.

Lauren found herself smiling as she stared out across her lab. She didn't even realize she had moved from her desk to the half wall that opened up her office so she could overlook her lab technicians and nurses without having to directly go downstairs and stop her own work.

Deciding it was time to close down for the night, Lauren went about her office putting things away and turning off her corner lamp. Lately, her eyes had been super sensitive to light, which could easily be attributed to her increased stress levels. Again, this added stress was unnecessary. She could recognize that, but Lauren loved what she did. Without that stress and puzzle, she didn't know what she would do with any free time. When she was on maternity leave, she was miserable and depressed beyond solely pregnancy hormones. She was self aware enough to know that it is was that she missed work so much. She was pretty sure that was why Bo eventually gave in and started asking for help on cases. What was even worse was when she was on maternity leave after Briann was born, but having a newborn baby did diminish her longing a little since she was in love with this tiny new person they had created and brought into the world.

Lauren stared at her lab and decided that she would force herself to learn how to adjust to life outside of work. Briann was seriously starting to crawl now, not just the scooting Bo swore was her crawling, so she would be extremely mobile soon. That meant that they would have their hands full soon enough. Learning to let go of her work so much meant learning how to live outside of the fae; part of her was afraid of what that would mean. Being owned seemed like a safety net at this point, but in those moments when she was reminded of who she was or when she was put in her place by Lachlan, Lauren was able to realize that she was ready. She was ready for the change. She had Bo. She had Briann. They had Kenzi, Alexie, and Gram. Strangely, they even had Hale and Vex.

Lauren was ready, and that scared the hell out of her.

There were a few people she still couldn't get behind much, including Evony and Lachlan. Even though Bo trusted Dyson, Lauren could only be civil with him, though their banter had turned witty the past year or so. She did notice that he didn't come around much anymore, and he hadn't even asked for help on any cases lately. Then again, Lauren had been overly busy with lab work and doctor's appointments. At least the sick fae were mostly bandaid fixes, though she did chuckle at the memory of an incubus who had come in recently with a performance problem. Lauren had given him the bottle of wine Vex had given them that was infused with Barnacle Goose. The incubus was Dark, so Lauren rationalized it as keeping it in the family. Not surprisingly, Bo was not upset that she had regifted. Now, it was strange to think of how much people in Bo's circle had affected her so much lately. The only person other than direct family that Lauren had outside of Bo's people was Nadia. Really, her ex was the only friend she had on her own, especially considering Bo didn't want much to do with the other woman.

There were days when Lauren wasn't even sure about Nadia, though that could be with the come ons and longing looks. Once upon a time, Lauren would crave those looks. They were just awkward and made her uncomfortable anymore. Still, Nadia was an old friend, and they did see each other quite a bit with the treatments. Now that Lauren had a good idea what the real problem was, she would probably start to see her less. That thought didn't bother her as much as she thought it probably should. Lauren's renewed apathy towards a lot of things was starting to challenge her newfound life. Old Lauren was trying to sneak up on New Lauren, and she was a little afraid of how easy it was for Old Lauren to return.

Taking one last look around the lab, Lauren grabbed her jacket, though she didn't put it on. Bo was out of town, so she couldn't scold her for not wearing it. She was only going so far back to the house. Lauren turned off the final light and made her way down the hallway towards the side exit. This was the same exit she and Bo had taken to get to the lab the night that Briann was probably conceived. Since she had yet to fix the subtle dent in the wall by exam room 3, Lauren blushed at the intensity and easiness of their relationship back then. When she got outside, she locked up and allowed the shiver from the biting cold to overtake her body.

Looking up, she saw Ferdinand in the distance. They nodded at each other before Lauren made her way back home for the night. When she reached the warmth of the house and the smell of homemade chicken soup from the kitchen, Lauren knew that New Lauren really was winning the war, even if Old Lauren won a lot of battles. Before, when Bo had gone away, Lauren would have probably stayed all night in the lab, either falling asleep on her couch for a few hours or passing out at her desk or lab station. New Lauren wouldn't let her do this anymore; now, she had Briann's smile to look forward to when she walked in the door.

Lauren placed her coat on her designated hook by the back door before moving into the house, following the sounds and smells coming from the kitchen. As soon as Lauren made eye contact with Briann, who was sitting in her high chair, face smeared with food, she felt herself tear up at the excitement in her little girl's face. Briann glowed and lit up at the sight of Lauren entering the room; Lauren couldn't help but smile, though she did manage to fight the welling tears as adjustment to the warm house from the cold outside.

"Hola, chica. I never thought I'd say that your kid is actually messier than mine." Kenzi was pouring a cup of coffee in her mug that said "Bitch, Please." Lauren looked to find the young woman, Briann, and Alexie were the only ones in the kitchen. That meant that Gram must have retired to her office for the night already. Even though Lauren knew she had smelled food, she sure did not see any. It made her that much more aware that she was hungry. "So much for her inheriting your OCD. Looks like she's got Bo on that aspect. You're gonna have fun with that."

"I'm sure I will." Lauren hummed as she came into the kitchen further to sit down on the stool closest to her daughter. Alexie reached out for her, so she picked him up and sat him on her lap. Briann was too busy still playing with the food on her tray. "I thought I smelled soup."

"You did. It's all gone. You snooze you lose, doc." Kenzi smirked playfully, though it was obvious she was not honestly apologetic. "It was sooooooo good tonight. Perfect weather for it, too."

"You're a soup tease." Lauren moved from the stool to put Alexie on the floor. He immediately started running around the kitchen. It was Lauren's turn to smirk. "Fair game."

"Hey, don't take it out on me that you can't stop working long enough to come eat dinner." Kenzi grabbed a box of shortbread biscuits and scooted them across the island to Lauren. "We ran out of pies long ago, and you haven't made cupcakes in ages. I'm beginning to think you're being fulfilled in other areas where you usually aren't, which is strange considering Bo has been gone for a few days."

"Reserves and all." Reunion sex with Bo was always just as intense as makeup sex. When they were combined together, Lauren found herself more than fulfilled. These past two months, since their big fight, had still accumulated quite a few small fights. At least they were easier to maintain, and they were getting a little better at communicating lately. Still, Bo was hiding something, and Lauren suspected it had to do with her globe-trotting lately. She would tell her when she was ready.

"Have you heard from Bo today?" Kenzi looked worried, and that could only mean one thing. Bo hadn't called her, either.

"No. I know she mentioned last night she would be in caves all day, so I didn't think anything about it. She wasn't particularly forthcoming about details, and I didn't push, but…should I be worried? She didn't call you, either?" That was extremely unlike the woman. Even when she was mad at Lauren, Bo made it a point to call her and let her know she was okay. Lauren didn't even think to ask last night on the phone if Bo still planned on being home tomorrow. She assumed so, since she mentioned she had an important meeting with someone in the morning before she came home.

"I'm not sure. You don't sense anything?" Kenzi narrowed her eyes and seemingly studied Lauren's expression, probably believing an answer was written there somewhere.

"No. I would know if something was wrong." Lauren closed her eyes to see if she could feel Bo, but there was no panic. Only the residual hum that meant Bo was alive and nothing exciting was happening.

"You sure that your bond extends that far?" It was a good question; one that Lauren had often wondered herself. Much like phone towers, how far exactly did their bond go? Better yet, were there areas where the bond diminished slightly or went to "no service" zone?

"She's just in Kentucky. I felt her when she was globetrotting in Europe and Asia; I highly doubt Kentucky is going to take her off grid." Lauren could remember several times she felt Bo's panic or sexual desires whenever she was away.

"I don't know. Ever been to Kentucky?" Kenzi smirked as she pulled a shortbread biscuit from the package and started to nibble lightly on its end.

"Once." Lauren didn't want to tell that story, though. She tried to forget it herself, though she knew she was blushing. Kenzi noticed, too, but she chose to only arch an eyebrow in response instead of adding colorful commentary. That meant she was definitely worried. "I'm sure she's fine, Kenzi. She could still be in the caves, so she might not have service."

"Well, she needs to hurry her ass up and find Batman so she can come back home soon." She stuffed the rest of the cookie in her mouth, and the unlady-like mannerism reminded Lauren of just how young Kenzi still was. Alexie had better table manners sometimes, though Kenzi was right. Lauren had noticed that Briann was a bit messier than most children she had been around.

"Batman?" Lauren highly doubted Bo was on a search for a comic book hero. Even though the fae were what most stories and myths came from, Batman was not one of them. Surely.

"Bo's supposed to be getting some rare gray bat that's found in Kentucky caves. I don't know the details; I think the fae Elder wants to eat it." Kenzi shrugged before grabbing for the box of shortbread biscuits and pulling out another one.

"Bo's working for elders? Finding them…food sources?" Lauren felt like maybe it was better for Bo to keep her missions a secret if they were this ridiculous. As a scientist, she would no doubt have tried talking Bo out of capturing an endangered species just so some fae could have a snack. Her wife probably knew this, too.

"Yes?" Kenzi looked mildly panicked. That only caused Lauren to sit up stiffer. "Sure, but it's mostly Light Fae elders."

"Light Fae? Does Lachlan know about this?"

"He was the one who sent her to them, I think."

"Hmm…curious." Lauren was no longer hungry, so she picked up Briann from her high chair. "I'm going to give Briann her bath and get us both ready for bed. Could you clean this up, since you apparently couldn't save me any soup?"

"Hey! How is that fair? It's your kid." Kenzi looked at Alexie opening cabinet doors, or at least trying to open them. Lauren had finally gotten around to installing those child safety latches, especially after the last time Gram chuckled at the makeshift drumkit Alexie and Briann had made in the middle of the kitchen out of pots and pans. Kenzi only encouraged them by giving them both wooden spoons; it caused Lauren and Bo to run out of their bedroom half naked, thinking something was attacking them from all the cacophony.

"I cleaned up after your kid plenty of times; turnabout is fair play." Lauren smiled as she pushed the box of cookies back to Kenzi, who greedily took the offering. She moved over to wet a towel to wipe Briann's face before they went back for bathtime. Her bed was already in the other room, but Lauren had a feeling she would put the little girl in the bed with her tonight instead.

"Yeah, yeah. Go away from my face, Dr. Buzzkill. Tell Bo to call me if she contacts you first, which we all know she will." Kenzi handed Alexie the last cookie in the box before tossing it in the trash. Lauren picked up Briann, kissed her head, and just smiled in response as she left the room. She would come back to find food after Briann was down for the night. She suddenly wasn't hungry anymore, worried about Bo.


	11. If I Die Young

Bo had officially completed her most disgusting mission yet. After hours of wading through bat guano in the dark, she was more than happy to see the light when she came out of that cave. One thing she did learn while she was in there was that her succubus eyes came in handy in the dark. They were by no means close to what Dyson could do with his wolf shifter eyes, but they did let off a glow that eventually attracted the bats to her. When she was finished, she only felt slightly guilty for capturing four of the endangered species, just so that one of the elders could have a birthday present to give to his wife.

That meant that Elder Krane was officially the last person she had to convince, and after finally getting a meeting for this morning, Bo wanted to make an impression. She had done some research on the doctor and had employed the Eye to help her do some recon, to see if she could find a weakness. The only thing Bo discovered was just how conservative she was; Gram was not kidding. Everything she did was done according to old fae laws, and Bo was even surprised to discover some of them that both Lachlan and Evony let slide unless trying to prove a point. She thought Gram and Maureen had been joking about the ritual slaughter before dinner; Bo was glad that was not a tradition anymore. While she had killed a chicken before, since she was raised on a farm, she had trouble thinking about killing a chicken in a sacrificial manner.

The only things Bo discovered were that Elder Krane was fae married to a man who was equally as conservative. It actually surprised her a little that the old Ash hadn't targeted this couple for the Prime Minister job instead of Lauren's dad, since they were so concerned with infiltrating the human political world. Then again, that would go against the one rule. Dr. Krane was an Internist, whatever that was, who was so well established in her profession that she could book only fae patients and have valid excuses for turning down human patients who were looking for the best Internist in the world.

Bo couldn't help but wonder what Lauren would be doing if she had been fae. She would obviously have been raised differently, so would she have followed her family's legacy and become another housewife to a powerful man, or woman, since gender wasn't the issue? Somehow, Bo doubted that Lauren would have let that happen. Drive and ambition were part of her personality; those weren't things she was raised with. They were just things that made her stronger because of her upbringing. Thoughts of her wife brought a big smile to Bo's face, as she found the confidence to finally get out of her car and walk towards the office.

Bo was as prepared as she could be for this meeting, yet she felt grossly underprepared. She was going to make herself vulnerable to this woman, revealing her weakness and needs directly. All of the methods she had used to convince the other elders were definitely not going to work on this woman, though, so Bo was at a loss. She was honestly surprised she had managed to finally get a meeting with the woman, and she didn't want to waste the opportunity in case it never happened again.

Bo followed Gram's advice. She was prepared to be told no.

But then, when had Bo ever let somebody telling her no stop her from doing something she really wanted?

After all, Lauren had rejected her when they first were together. Bo didn't let that stop her from pursuing the woman when she showed interest again and resurfaced in her life. The same thing with Dyson at the beginning, and even with Kenzi. There were a lot of things Bo conceded, but this would not be one of them. She knew why Lachlan said it had to be her doing the asking; if Lauren had done it herself, she wouldn't have gotten this far. Elder Krane never would've even accepted this meeting.

Suddenly, all of Bo's frustrations with Lauren seemed to diminish as she walked into this building. This was real. This was the final obstacle to getting Lauren's freedom, and they could give back Roger and Maureen their fae powers. Hell, she would even track down Hadley and give them back to her, as long as she played nice.

For some reason, even knowing where the building was, Bo felt like she had been here before despite this being the first time she stepped foot in here. There was a strange sense of déjà vu happening, as she made her way to the receptionist area. At least the receptionist was nice, as she stared at Bo the entire time she was waiting and tried to make idle chitchat. She was the only person in the waiting room, and it reminded Bo of those times she would sit waiting by herself when waiting to see Lachlan about getting Lauren's release. This was not much different, though she didn't think a formal letter of request would solve her problem this time.

Finally, she was escorted back and told to take a right at the end of the hall. The sterile walls and soft lighting were distracting in their simplicity. It felt like there should be something else here, like something was missing. Soul, perhaps? Or was she just projecting what she thought she was walking into?

When she turned the corner, she noticed the office door was ajar. She inched slower toward it, suddenly more cautious of her surroundings.

"I don't have all day." A strong, feminine voice could be heard beckoning her from behind the door. It was almost like a Siren call, though Bo needed to keep the Hale jokes to a minimum. She couldn't revert to her sense of humor right now; she needed to stay serious and confident.

"Yes, ma'am." For some reason, Bo couldn't help but follow the orders, despite her need and want to ignore them. Maybe it was better to rip the "no" bandaid off now, so that she could start working on how to get around it. She walked into the office and wasn't prepared for how professional and confident this woman appeared in person; no wonder she was well respected. She definitely had the aura for it. Bo could see her being a decorated General in the Great Fae War, and she had a feeling that Trick would actually have some good pointers for how to deal with her after today. For an older lady, she was extremely attractive, though Bo had already known that. Then again, had Bo ever really met any unattractive fae? She wasn't sure if that were a thing, or if it was just because her succubus self was not picky.

"So, you're the unaligned succubus, here to ask for your mate's freedom. I shouldn't have even allowed this meeting, as you know my answer is no, but I admit, you have my curiosity piqued. What do you find so important about this one human that you will risk your own life and freedom for her?" The woman stayed seated behind her desk, the chair enveloping her in a literal seat of power. It wasn't unlike Gram in her office, only this woman was more intimidating. Bo had to give credit to Evony and Lachlan for at least using chairs that were not ridiculously oversized or cliched. What bothered Bo the most was the woman's utterly dismissive tone. Okay, so having the bandaid ripped off was not the way to go. "I have met Dr. Lewis on a few cases throughout the years. I recognize her importance in the fae world, so you should know I have no intention of giving away such a powerful resource. She is owned by the Light, that was her decision, and she will remain that way."

"I suppose asking nicely won't sway you." Bo bit her lip, trying to hold in her anger. "I'm doing my best here not to resort to threats."

"You would do good not to threaten me. I can promise you, if you continue on this path, you will die trying to see a lost cause through. You have to go through me, and I will never allow it."

"I'm not going to give up." Bo felt herself swallow harder than usual. For some reason, she was feeling sweaty and nervous. It was unlike her to lose her confidence this easily.

"No, I expect you wouldn't. I'm quite aware of your adamancy in this matter, but it is no matter to me. You will never see your mate's full freedom, so you should just accept this being the way the world works." She leaned forward in the seat, though it wasn't a relaxed move. Instead, it was one of more intimidation and power. How was Bo so overwhelmed by this woman? She shouldn't be so afraid, so why was she? "It's a shame you fully fae married her, which is an abomination, too, that the Ash allowed such a thing to happen. You will never truly know what it is like to experience faedom and all it has to offer now. You have condemned yourself to a life full of misery. Why do that to yourself? You are a curious creature."

"Even if Lauren never got her freedom, our life together will be anything but misery." Suddenly, Bo realized this as truth. It didn't matter if Lauren was actually free; they could be happy. They were happy, and she wasn't free now. This was no longer just about Bo and Lauren, or just Lauren. It was no longer about their daughter not seeing their mom being a slave. No, this had somehow turned into a political agenda. Freedom for everyone. That was Bo's platform. That was her first test as Queen. This would be the first fae law that she would change.

"Your unwavering love and devotion is touching; no matter how perverted it is." Elder Krane didn't even give Bo a chance to respond before standing suddenly in a swift move that had her around the desk and in Bo's face. Bo was surprised at exactly how tall and big the woman was; her pictures and surveillance did not make her look this big. Elder Krane pulled her by the dress shirt and around her neck and lifted her in the air, bringing their faces together. Bo couldn't even manage to grab at her throat, as she struggled to gain back control of the situation, or at least her body. The woman's subtle perfume overpowered her coffee breath, but her red face and flashing eyes had a bit of evil in them. "My answer is no, succubus. You will cease and desist your mission."

"I will never give up on her." Bo knew this as truth, too. For all the frustration she had at Lauren, Bo would never give up on her. Elder Krane squeezed around her throat tighter in response.

"Is she really worth dying over?"

"Yes." Bo didn't even hesitate, though she barely could speak. Why weren't her dormant powers surfacing? What were they waiting for? This woman was killing her.

"Very well, then." The woman threw Bo to the ground before holding her there, looming over her with power before she began to bite her neck. Bo could feel her panic and still didn't understand why she wasn't fighting back. She tried to take chi but found her natural responses weren't triggering. It didn't make sense. She just lay there helplessly while this woman, dressed in a strictly pressed red business suit, literally ate chunks of her. Bo felt herself sputtering, and she could sense Lauren's panic. She had no way of calling her, to tell her goodbye, to tell her she was sorry. Kenzi was the only one who knew where she was. Bo felt herself drifting, sputtering and coughing blood with no way to feed from this woman. She was being blocked. She stopped eating long enough to look down at Bo, chunks of meat dangling in her teeth, blood dripping from her mouth and down her shirt, and eyes feral. Bo wanted to pass out from the extreme pain, and she knew she was dying. This was what Angela Lewis had warned her about; huh, something Lauren's mother actually got right. She was dying because she couldn't leave well enough alone. She would never leave well enough alone when it came to Lauren and justice.

"I…" Bo couldn't find her voice. It only made her cough up more blood; she felt her life draining from her. The last thing she saw and heard was Elder Krane leaning over her body again and going back for more.

* * *

She woke with wide, panicked eyes. The remnants and memory of the pain were the last things she remembered. Bo sat up, looking at her surroundings. This was Trick's study.

Where was Lauren?

Where was anybody?

Bo felt around her neck. There were bandages there. She pulled at them and saw the blood covering them, but when she felt her neck, she was clear besides a little residual itching. There were no marks or any indication that some crazy old lady had just eaten a big chunk out of her neck. Was it all a bad dream? The feeling she had right now told her otherwise; even if she had healed, there was still pain. The careful dressing and way she was tucked in the bed were Lauren's work.

She took a deep breath.

Then another.

The burning in her lungs indicated a recent strong feed, mixed with something different. Something strong and medicinal. Something Lauren, though she noticed the feed wasn't her. Bo felt somehow strange and guilty about that fact; she had fed from her wife enough to know the difference. This feed left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth. Bo almost didn't want to know what happened, or who it was that healed her. It felt...dark. The strange thing was that it felt familial and strong; it made her feel powerful again. More powerful than before; whoever had donated chi was probably one of the strongest fae Bo had apparently ever encountered, and she didn't even remember it. She was too busy being unconscious.

She could sense Lauren there before she actually saw her. When Bo turned around, she was afraid to open her eyes and see the hurt expression she knew her wife was wearing. When she did finally open her eyes, she saw something rare: Lauren was crying.

"Oh, Bo." Lauren rushed over to her, wrapping her in the tightest hug possible. She immediately reacted and pulled her into the embrace with equal fervor. She thought she was dead, that she would never see her family again, that she would never get to hold Lauren like this again. Bo felt her eyes flash blue and the succubus took over for a moment as she pulled Lauren's mouth to hers, kissing her with such intensity that she didn't even know she possessed at the moment. Lauren only protested for a second before agreeing to the kiss. She could taste the salty tears that had flowed and were still flowing from Lauren's eyes. When Bo felt herself come back to reality, she placed one last loving kiss before parting. Lauren went into immediate doctor mode, starting to examine her wounds, or what should have been her wounds. "You've completely healed; good, I was worried you wouldn't."

"Why wouldn't I?" Bo leaned her head so that Lauren could get better access. Now that the doctor had something to do, her tears had stopped. Bo felt relief at seeing this; she hated seeing Lauren cry. It made her want to cry.

"Bo, you were dead." Lauren sat back to make strong eye contact, her eyes bugging a little at saying the words aloud. "You were…"

"Dead, huh." Bo felt herself dying. "How did…I mean…"

"I don't know, but I felt you die, Bo. I felt it, and then…I didn't feel you anymore." Lauren placed her hand over Bo's chest, which was completely bare. She looked to find her clothes, but they were nowhere to be seen. "I still don't feel you."

"That explains why I couldn't tell where you were just now. I can always feel you." Bo placed her hand over Lauren's and held it there so that she wouldn't remove it. The simple gesture felt comforting. She still had yet to register that she had actually died and somehow come back to life. "What does this mean?"

"I don't know." Lauren had obviously already spent hours looking in Trick's library for answers. "Kenzi and the others are upstairs, but they won't bother us until I let them know you're okay. Gram has Briann and Alexie back at the farmhouse. I…I didn't want them to…"

"The others?" Bo didn't know why the first thing that came to her mind was worry that Lauren finally saw Emily again. Dyson was attached to the woman lately, and Bo could barely find him alone. If he showed up with her, Bo would get up off of this table right now and go kick both of their asses. At least he had enough sense to keep her away from them to this point, but if Bo had died, Dyson would be there, no matter who was with him.

"Kenzi, Trick, Hale. Vex is out front keeping watch, just in case. Dyson took a crew with him to follow your trail, to see where you came from." Lauren narrowed her eyes, and Bo could really sense the separation now. Something Gram had said once was floating in her mind, but she couldn't quite go there yet. Her mind wasn't ready to admit a lot of things, especially that she had been dead.

"Follow my trail?" Bo stopped worrying and came back to the room.

"Trick called and said you were in his study when he came down to grab something. He said you were missing part of your neck and shoulder. Whoever did this to you was…" Lauren looked down at their hands still over Bo's chest. She pulled her hand back, and Bo was reluctant but did let her go. "How did you get this close to them and not heal at all?"

"It doesn't make sense; you're right. I couldn't fight; it was like I was…hypnotized or blocked. I couldn't use my powers or my strength. I could just sit there and watch as they…ate me, and not in the good way normally associated with a succubus." Bo closed her eyes, feeling bad that she was more concerned with Lauren finding out about Emily this way than about what she must have felt at seeing a chunk of her wife missing. "How long was I…gone?"

"I don't know. Nobody knows. When Trick called, you still weren't breathing. You were dead when he found you. When he was on the phone with me, he said you started breathing and coughing. It scared the hell out of me, Bo. You scared the hell out of me." Lauren's jaw was steeled, and it was obvious she was trying not to cry again. Bo longed for that lost connection; she felt naked without it. She needed to know what Lauren was thinking and feeling right now. "When I got here, you were breathing and coughing up blood, but you weren't healing fast enough. I gave you a sedative and a cocktail of muscle relaxants and adrenaline. I cleaned and wrapped your neck to prevent infections, but I…I can't unsee you lying there, struggling to stay alive. I can't unfeel you being dead. I can't…feel you at all."

"Me, neither. I can't feel you." Bo started to panic now. She felt the vacancy that once completely filled her being; she felt like she was still half dead. "Does this mean…I mean, when I die, do you…do we not…are we not…"

"I don't know, Bo. I don't know." Lauren looked panicked, too. At least she wasn't hiding her emotions, so that was one thing Bo had to help her read her wife. Was she still her wife if she died? Wasn't that part of the fae clause? Just regular marriage even said, "'til death do you part." What did this mean? Bo felt lost again, for the first time in years.

"Can…we…I mean, do we need to do the bonding thing again?" Bo looked around the room, confirming they were the only ones down here. "I mean, I'm already naked, so we're halfway there."

"This is serious, Bo. I don't know that's what happened." Lauren was reading only moderate on the sexual aura chart, but that could be because of seeing Bo just near death. That was one way to kill a mood. Bo couldn't help but think it was also a good reason _to_ have sex.

"Could it hurt to try?" Bo felt herself want to cry now. "I'm not just asking for sex here, Lauren. I'm asking for you. Completely…you…and me…together. I don't like this hole. I don't like not having you in my head all of the time."

"It'll be okay, Bo. I promise. We just…have to figure out what happened." Lauren closed her eyes and took deep breaths; Bo could read her wife's aura. It was fluctuating, like she was battling with herself, but it was the only thing Bo could read. She wanted to shake Lauren to see if that would fix it, maybe even slap her butt not unlike the Fonz bumped that jukebox to get it working again. This hurt worse than when Elder Krane was taking bites out of her, and she was helpless to stop it. "We need to talk to Trick and Gram and see exactly what happened. You were dead, Bo; we need to focus on why you're alive right now."

"Zombie? Am I a zombie? Is this like that lich thing? Please don't tell me I'm going to start decaying if I don't eat human organs. I don't know if I could handle that. I had a hard enough time eating that liver pate your Gram tried to serve me at that last fancy dinner party she had for her friends." Bo tried to stand, but her legs were still weak. Lauren immediately responded and helped her sit back on the bed. "How long was I out?"

"Three hours since Trick called me; who knows how long before that." Lauren looked like she wanted to cry again. Bo wanted to take her hurt away.

"Do you have any idea how or why I healed? Why I came back to life, if I was dead?" Bo looked at Lauren and could see the utter despair in the usually professional mask. This wasn't the doctor right now; this was all Lauren. This was nothing but the vulnerable, scared woman herself.

"I should have been the one to die first, Bo. I'm the fragile one. I'm the human one." Lauren pulled her into an embrace again, and this time, she didn't push away her advances as Bo pulled off her wife's undershirt, which still had remnants of blood spatter on the shoulders; no doubt this had bled through Lauren's dress shirt. She was probably at work when she got the call from Trick. Bo managed to remove Lauren's bra before being interrupted again. "Kenzi and Gram finally told me where you were this morning. What the hell were you thinking? Taking on Elder Krane by yourself? She's a Wendigo, Bo. Nothing good could have come from meeting her. We're lucky all she ate was your shoulder and neck; there should be nothing left of you to even find."

"I…I didn't know. I'm sorry." Bo finally felt the realization of what would have happened had she died and never been found. Lauren would be left wondering and grieving, Briann would never know her mother, Kenzie and Alexie would be abandoned. Bo felt like she couldn't breathe all of sudden.

"Bo, Bo…breathe, babe. You're having a panic attack." Lauren pulled her close and blew cold air in her face. When she had calmed down, Bo just looked up through her tears but didn't relinquish her hold. "You're still alive now; that's all that matters. You're here now, and I love you, and don't you dare ever do something that monumentally stupid again."

Bo's only response was a hiccupped chuckle between sobs. Air was starting to return to her lungs, but she felt deflated and tired again. She suddenly had no energy and just let Lauren pull her close and run her hands down her head. Lauren just held her, as Bo sobbed into her wife's naked chest.

"I wish you would have told me what you were doing. I know I never ask; it's your work, but…you could have told me. I could have helped." Lauren kept her in her arms, and Bo didn't protest a bit. She only gripped harder; she needed to be close to Lauren again.

"I couldn't tell you about this; that was part of the deal." Bo took a deep breath and released it, feeling the remnants of the panic attack. "I wanted to; you have no idea how many times I wanted to talk to you about this. I just…it never would have worked if you knew about it."

"About what, Bo? What was so important that you went and got yourself killed? Why didn't you take any backup with you?" Lauren was still scared and confused, and they all needed answers, but right now, they had to talk about this.

"You, Lauren. It was about you." Bo sat up and loosened the embrace so that she could see Lauren's eyes. They were her tell. If she couldn't read the other woman through their bond, Bo was going to use her other knowledge of Lauren. "I might be the first person in history to actually be able to say I died for the one I loved and lived to tell about it."

"This isn't funny, Bo. Why were you…what do you mean you died for me?" Lauren looked panicked now. "What did you do?"

"I was almost there. I just had to convince Elder Krane to grant my request for your full freedom, and it would have been yours. You would have been free." Bo saw Lauren start to gape as she tried to compute.

"But you died, Bo. No amount of freedom is worth you dying." Lauren wasn't concerned with whether or not she succeeded; she was only concerned with Bo. This detail would have been looked over by anyone else, but to Bo, this was everything. This was Lauren, and she fell a little bit more in love with the woman.

"You're more than worth it, Lauren. I love you so insanely that I don't care. Apparently, my actions recently should speak louder than my words." Bo went to touch Lauren's heart again and was happy that the previous gesture was repeated. Feeling Lauren's hand over hers, feeling her heart beating, Bo knew it was more than worth it. Now, if only she had something to show for it. "I want everything for you, and I will do anything to get that, even if it means I have to die…which…I obviously proved."

"Dammit, Bo. I can't even be mad at you right now." Lauren chuckled as she moved her hand to feel Bo's heartbeat. Bo moved her other hand over Lauren's, so they could hear their heartbeats running fast together. "Nothing is worth losing you over, Bo. Don't you ever do anything like this again."

"I talked to Lachlan, made the formal request like your mom suggested. Can we skip the part where she was right that I would die trying to get your freedom?" Bo looked at Lauren, who was close to tears again. "Hey, none of that. I'm here, see? I'm here."

"Bo…" The way Lauren's voice cracked made Bo lose her calm.

"I'm yours, Lauren. I'm always yours." Bo whispered into her hair. She pushed Lauren back on the bed and leaned over her, not surprised when the gentle kiss was accepted. "I love you completely. I don't care how cheesy I sound right now."

"Your skin is hot. You could have an infection." Lauren reached up and palmed Bo's cheek. Bo responded by closing her eyes and nuzzling the hand, kissing the open palm before moving back to join their mouths again. Lauren was past protesting or fighting it. It wasn't a sexual arousal; it was a desperate, sorrowful one.

"Stop doctoring and just be with me right now. I think I deserve that." Bo leaned up on her elbows, despite feeling how weak her arms were. Her physical strength hadn't fully returned yet, but there was a different strength brewing. "I don't know what it was that healed me, or brought me back, or whatever happened, but I feel it inside me, Lauren. It's strong…and powerful." Bo just stared down at Lauren, their eyes doing their own little sexual dance. "It feels familiar, but it's not you."

"How in control are you feeling right now?" Lauren finally had relaxed back into the bed and was seeming to decide on some medical course of action.

"I'm good. Full, actually." Bo could feel the anticipation building inside of her. She had died; not even three hours ago, she was dead. Now, she was alive, and she still had Lauren, and she wanted to prove just how alive she was. She wanted to feel what it meant for her to be alive. Instead of leaning down to kiss her again, she just kept staring down at the big brown eyes below her. Her hair was caked in blood, and she could feel that her body still held traces of dried blood in places, but she didn't care. She moved down to kiss Lauren but held her lips just above her wife's. "You take my breath away."

"Breathless." Lauren sounded so sad, probably not liking the reminder of her being actually breathless.

"Completely." Bo knew she had said this to her before, but it was definitely worth repeating. It still held truth. "You also give me life."

"That wasn't me, Bo. I told you I don't…"

"Shush. I'm trying to be romantic." Bo smiled before moving down to kiss her. Their lips were gentle, and Bo waited between whispered breaths before starting to take any chi from Lauren. She was full, but she still felt empty. What she took, she gave back, and she continued to do so until she was finally unable to stop herself from touching Lauren. She moved her hand to unbutton Lauren's dress pants, but she couldn't wait to get them completely off before touching her, so she just moved her hand inside the pants and underwear until she was completely touching her wife. Bo didn't even care that Lauren still had on her shoes. She was only concerned with staring into Lauren's eyes and kissing her everywhere on her face and neck. The fact that she focused her kisses around Lauren's neck and collarbone did not go unnoticed, either.

The whispered breaths were becoming more hurried, as Bo moved to exchange energy yet again. She didn't care that they could get pregnant again by doing this; Lauren wasn't protesting, either. She was just as eager for Bo's mouth to be on hers; had even pulled her body tighter against hers to create more friction.

When Lauren orgasmed, Bo caught her gasp through another swish of energy. It was overwhelming and powerful, and she felt full again. Somewhere along the way, Lauren had started pleasuring her, as well, but Bo had been so concerned with the chi and making love to Lauren that she didn't even notice but in passing that she was close to orgasm herself. In fact, it didn't take long for her to explode after she felt Lauren's. She fell on top of Lauren, their warm bodies molded together, breathing still labored.

That's when she felt it. That's when she felt Lauren. Nothing could have prepared her the onslaught of emotions that hit her at once. There, lying on top of her wife, Bo buried her head in Lauren's hair and broke down completely.


	12. Life and Love in the Afterdeath

Lauren was worried about Bo. It had been a month since she had died, and the woman either went utterly crazy or super depressed. There was never a happy medium. There were moments when Bo would want nothing more than to fuck or go out and party and do stupid daredevil shit that made her feel alive but only caused Lauren more anxiety. Then, there were times when she wouldn't want to get out of bed or shower for days. After the second time she pulled that stunt, Lauren attached a hose to the showerhead in their bathroom and sprayed her wife with it. At least she had gotten Bo out of bed with that, though Gram wasn't too happy that Lauren had managed to get all of the antique furniture in their room wet. It got the point across, though, and Bo hadn't wallowed in bed for days and now showered daily.

Today, Bo was having a mildly depressed day, though she had showered and extracted herself from bed. Since Lauren didn't have to work as much now that the formula was finished, Nadia was doing better since she had managed to procure a Basilisk and developed a cure, and her patients had no emergencies, she had decided to stay inside the house today and see if there was anything she could do to coerce Bo out of her funk. Janelle would call her if something went wrong with the few shots and tests being run on the patients who were scheduled. Kenzi and Hale had Briann and Alexie today, since Lauren had planned on going to the office. She was glad she didn't; sometimes, she needed the rest, though she was surprised Lachlan was allowing it. Granted, she had only taken two days off this past month, and that was when Bo had two particularly crazy days that required Lauren to find her and bring her home. She wasn't happy with that, though Bo hanging out with the Morrigan just for fun wasn't what she expected. For some strange reason, Lauren felt okay with Bo using the Morrigan to help her go crazy. Evony would never let anything happen to Bo; it was part of that leanan sidhe ownership Bo had over her. Still, getting the phone call from the Morrigan to "come and get your insane wife; she is ruining my carpet" was not what Lauren expected.

It was understandable really. Bo's behavior had gone through all of the stages of Kubler-Ross's theory on dying; she just went through them _after_ she died. Then again, Bo never did anything that wasn't at least a little bit backwards. Lauren's least favorite was the angry stage. Bo had decided that every article of clothing she owned was awful and deserved to be cut up into little pieces. Lauren had come in after work to find three holes punched in the closet's wall where Bo's clothes used to hang and Bo sitting in the middle of a storm of leather, denim, and cotton. She yelled at her because she never told her "how awful I look in these." Lauren had thought the opposite and said so, but that only made Bo angrier, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before putting down her briefcase and pulling Bo into a fighting embrace. The breakdowns were not an uncommon thing anymore. She had never seen Bo cry so much, and that only caused her more despair and worry. She didn't even comment that when Kenzi took Bo shopping last week for new clothes, so Bo would stop wearing tshirts and sweatpants they found in the closet upstairs, they had come back with almost the exact same wardrobe, minus as much leather. Bo had mentioned that she was a mom now, so leather wasn't the most appropriate item to have in her "new, improved, soccer mom Bo" style. Lauren didn't argue that the tight jeans and low cut blouses were still not soccer mom material; she would never complain or mention that, as long as Bo wore them. She did have to admit that Bo could rock a white, tight polo shirt and tennis skirt, though. She actually had a hard time hiding her reaction and arousal at seeing Bo in that. If only she had an actual tennis racquet, they could have played out Lauren's Martina Navratilova fantasy. She had to hold that one in for later, when Bo was better.

Honestly, Lauren was so worried about Bo that she never had time to grieve herself. Bo was still alive, though, so her happiness and satisfaction of knowing this probably caused her mourning period to be shorter. Still, seeing Bo struggling to breathe, large parts of her flesh missing, and blood covering her, Lauren couldn't unsee that. The image still haunted her. She remembered how shaky her hands were when she was patching Bo's neck and shoulder, not being able to feel her through their bond. It was the scariest thing she had ever experienced; it was worse than feeling Bo die. Actually seeing her close to death and not being able to feel her was much, much worse. Even though she knew Bo would eventually die, she hadn't prepared herself for it to be so soon. She wasn't ready. Nobody was ready. At least it forced Kenzi to start talking about her own mortality, and for that Lauren was grateful.

Bo had threatened and promised through her anger and despair and denial that she would kill Elder Krane, still adamant that she would find a way to get Lauren her freedom. The darkness that brushed Bo's soul in those moments worried Lauren the most. Her freedom wasn't worth losing Bo in the process; nothing was worth that.

After finding Kenzi and tucking in Briann for her afternoon nap, Lauren decided to bring Bo the pint of Piles of Pecans in the freezer. They were supposed to talk to Gram today, now that Bo was feeling calmer, so Lauren wanted some couple time before they had to meet. Bo knew that, too, which is why Lauren was surprised to find her missing from their bedroom. She had left her not even ten minutes ago, and she was sitting up and reading some self help book she had bought in the bookstore last week. Lauren didn't discourage her from buying a book, though she wasn't sure how helpful_ Learning to Live Alone_ was going to help her. The fact that she was even considering this a possibility made Lauren panic a little and realize her own eventual mortality.

Gripping the spoons and ice cream pint tighter, Lauren made her way to the hallway that led to the offices and storage. They weren't supposed to meet Gram until later, but maybe Bo needed to talk sooner. Again, Lauren became worried. Their bond had returned not long after the grief sex, but Lauren didn't think it was because of the sex or the exchange. In that neediness and grief, she hadn't even cared that she had forgotten to take her birth control the days Bo was gone on that trip. No worries, though; she was all clear. At least that was one thing she didn't have to worry about anymore. Not that she would have minded having another child with Bo, but it was way too soon for them to even consider it. There were too many things they needed to do before that became a possibility, if it would ever be one. Lauren wasn't entirely positive she wanted to go through another birth; she was surprised she had lived after the first one. This was one of the reasons Bo was just as careful.

Bo was standing in the middle of the hallway with the closet door open. She was sitting on the floor and just staring inside the closet. Lauren didn't sense any danger or real despair, so that was a plus, but Bo's odd behavior piqued her interest. Why was she sitting on the floor and staring into a closet?

"Hey, babe, what's up?" Lauren went to sit next to her, hearing the cautiousness in her own voice. She laid the ice cream container in front of them and focused on Bo's expression. She looked so sad and lost. "You okay, Bo?"

"Yeah. Just…I guess I'm finally…I'm starting to see things differently." Bo finally looked at her, and her eyes expressed exactly what her aura was projecting through the bond. "Not in the creepy fae power way, but in the 'I really died and came back to life, so now I have a second chance' way."

"Do you need a second chance at something?" Lauren swallowed hard, uncapping the lid to the ice cream to hide her insecurity. One of the first things she did once they were settled back home was find Gram and immediately ask if Bo's death did anything to their marriage. Those few hours where their bond was severed caused Lauren to feel so empty and lost herself that she was worried that literal death actually meant everything they had accomplished in their relationship was void. Gram had alleviated those fears without hesitation, even giving Lauren the books on fae marriage and bonds. While Bo was asleep next to her that first night, Lauren couldn't sleep, unable to close her eyes without seeing her mostly dead wife in Trick's bed, so she had read both books overnight, her eyes and body fighting but her mind and insanity winning. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I just…" Bo stared back in the closet again, and that's when Lauren noticed what she was staring at; she had even forgotten they were in here. "Why won't you open these boxes?"

"Considering everything that's happened recently, they haven't exactly been on my to-do list. They're not important, Bo. They're just boxes of my stuff that my parents apparently didn't want, probably afraid people that visited would know we're related if they kept them. I'm sure they're just old trophies and pictures, maybe my baby teeth." Lauren actually had not even wondered what was really in these boxes; honestly, she didn't want to know. They only served as a reminder that her life was so easily discarded for her parents, put in boxes and thrown out. There could be millions of dollars in those boxes, savings bonds in her name, any number of things that were worth something, but the sentiment behind the box was "here, get out of our lives." Okay, so that was harsh, but it was what it felt like. "These boxes only serve as tangible proof that my parents have no qualms about throwing me away. I really have no desire to open them."

"What if I opened them for you?" Bo looked at her, almost seemingly desperate to know what was in those boxes.

"Why does it matter?" Lauren narrowed her eyes, studying her wife. She had no idea Bo knew she had moved them in here; she chose to ignore the extra box labeled "Briann baby stuff" that she had asked Bo to donate.

"I need to know who you are." Bo looked like she was going to cry again. Why would these boxes cause her to react so strongly?

"You know who I am; probably better than anyone I've ever met, including myself." Lauren chuckled slightly, hoping the conversation would just die out. She really didn't want to open these boxes. Maybe she could sway Bo with sex; that wasn't really fair, though. At least not when Bo's emotions were all over the place lately.

"That's not…I mean…they're just boxes, so why not open them?" Bo looked back from the boxes to Lauren, almost as though this ping-pong action would get her to finally concede.

"Exactly; they're just boxes, so why does it matter if I open them?" Lauren dipped her spoon in the open ice cream carton, being sure to get enough pecans on it. She offered it to Bo, hoping this would distract her. It did for a second, when she wrapped her mouth around the spoon and devoured the offering, but she kept such strong eye contact, and it was far from sexual.

"Then, why don't you open them? If they mean nothing, then why not just get it over with?" Bo wiped her chin, beating Lauren to it, but she never once broke eye contact. Lauren had to take a moment to breathe and calm herself. She didn't realize how hard this was.

"Because it hurts, Bo. I don't want to know what is so easy, _why_ it is so easy to throw me away." She was the one to break eye contact, as she went to dip her spoon in the ice cream again and using her feeding as an excuse to ignore this further.

"Oh."

"Yeah, oh." She took a deep breath before just dropping the spoon in the carton. Piles of Pecan was obviously off the menu now.

"Sorry; I just…they've been mocking me." Bo almost sounded childlike in her response, staring back at the boxes as though they were actually whispering insults to her.

"Mocking you?" Lauren huffed her amusement, eyes wide in surprise. She wasn't expecting that answer at all. "How could a set of boxes mock you?"

"Don't laugh at me." Bo rubbed her hands across her face, up and down repetitively like she was wiping something that had covered her. After the last swipe, she turned her body more toward Lauren and pulled her hand into hers.

"Your hands are cold, Bo." Lauren pulled Bo's other hand into hers and wrapped the icy skin in her own cold ones. They could find warmth together, maybe. "Okay, why are these boxes mocking you?"

"I want to know everything about you, including your past, but you stay so…detached…and distant. I want to know why you became this amazing person, and it worries me that I'm going to finally make you realize you deserve better." Bo gripped their fingers together, moving her thumbs across the top of Lauren's hand. She didn't mean to respond, but it was one of Bo's sexual "let's do it" moves. Lauren responded like Pavlov's dog. "I just want to make sure I have every bit of information possible, so that I can make sure that never happens."

"Why does my past matter so much to you?" She ungripped their fingers and scooted closer to Bo, her legs still crossed, so that she could place her hands on Bo's knees. It was a move that usually calmed Bo, and it served its purpose.

"We have a present together and a future, barring I make smarter decisions. You're going to be the wife of a queen; well, I guess that means you'll be a queen, too." Bo cleared her throat, and Lauren thought she looked a little embarrassed. It was strange to think of Bo as embarrassed; few things caused that to happen. "Anyways, I don't want to read about your past in some file or history book; I want you to tell me. I want you…I want you to open up to me more. I think I need you to open up to me more if we're going to survive our long haul."

"Bo…I…" Lauren closed her eyes, aware of how scary this simple request and concept was. "I can't make any promises; this is who I am, but…I'll try."

"I'll open up more, too. I'll tell you everything." Bo's eyes opened wider, and Lauren had to roll her eyes at the "yay, I won" look she was getting.

"Well, there are some details you could skip over." Lauren immediately thought about Dyson; she did not want to know the intimate details of that relationship. Lauren was still trying to believe that Emily was dating him again. While she hadn't seen it for herself, Lauren had heard Hale let the woman's name slip during a conversation. Hearing the names Dyson and Emily in the same sentence, Lauren immediately honed on the conversation and interrogated Hale for more details, only to confirm that it was the same Emily. After the shock wore off, Lauren felt a stab in her heart, some brief anger, and a momentary sadness all wash over her at once. She wasn't sure what she would do if the woman started showing up again. Emily was her biggest regret, and she didn't like to think about how stupid she had become when she first joined the Light. "You talk to me more, and I'll try my best." Lauren pushed herself up from the floor and went to pull the top box from the pile. She placed it on the floor between them before sitting down across from Bo again. "Starting with this."

"Lauren, you don't…"

"I do. Consider this my…peace offering. This makes me uncomfortable, and it hurts, but…you being here with me will make it better." Lauren opened the box and laughed at what she found inside. On top was her old stuffed fish she had won at a school carnival when she was little; she had tossed a dart at a balloon and voila, instant bedtime friend that didn't leave her side, even through college. She wondered what had happened to her old snuggle buddy. "Fluffy the Fish."

"You named a fish Fluffy?" Bo pulled the fish out of the box and was no doubt discovering for herself how fluffy the fish was.

"Well, it was a stuffed animal, and I had yet to really study the anatomy of a fish yet, so I went with my gut." Lauren sighed; being reunited with an old friend, who had seen her at her worst and loneliest days, was actually nice. "Be glad that I got better at naming things; otherwise, Briann might have been named Squishy and Wrinkly the Baby."

"How old were you?" Bo handed the fish to Lauren, who ran her fingers along the roughly soft fabric. It was a carnival prize, after all, and she had only given a dollar that Grumps had given her to win her friend. In retrospect, she was the cheapest date Lauren ever had.

"Eight, and I slept with her all the way through college." This fact didn't embarrass Lauren a bit; she was still quite proud she had won that fish. It was a strange security blanket, but she was small enough that nobody really ever questioned it. Not that they ever would, since nobody ever went to her room in high school and she had stayed with Amelia when they had dated the few times they had been intimate. Nadia was the one to call her on being a grown woman who still slept with a stuffed animal.

"Her?" Bo's expression and demeanor changed to a more relaxed and happy state. Lauren felt good to feel this free-spirited nature return to her wife. That meant she was finally in the Acceptance stage, and Lauren had to sigh in relief.

"I knew I preferred the company of women at an early age." She chuckled, thinking back at how she had tried asking people why she preferred being around the female gender and didn't care about the boys. Her mother never answered her question and only ever smiled at her with that knowing, "ha, I knew it" smirk before telling her she was too young to worry about it and telling her to stop bothering her about trivial things.

"How young?" Bo pulled the fish back, as though she was studying the competition. Lauren didn't really need to tell her that she was a much better snuggle buddy than an old, stuffed fish.

"Second grade; I didn't know exactly _what_ that entailed until high school. Even then, I didn't admit it or act on it until I was away at college." Lauren could remember the day she came out to her parents. They had looked at her like she was telling them she got another A on her report card.

"I'm sure Fluffy the Fish was a real chick magnet for you." Bo handed the fish back to Lauren, though she did raise a teasing eyebrow. She was definitely convinced this fish was no real competition.

"Nadia hated it; it's why I stopped sleeping with it." Lauren smiled at Bo. It had been a long time since their relationship felt...easy.

"You're telling me that if Nadia hadn't entered the picture, I would possibly be vying for your attention in bed from this stuffed fish?" Bo went to grab the fish back.

"Who says that you won't be now that we have reunited?" Lauren narrowed her eyes in a playful response.

"Remind me to actually thank Nadia for something next time she's over for dinner." Bo gave up on any chance of extracting that fish from her. Lauren reward her with a flirty wink. She giggled when she realized what she'd done, and they both looked shocked and smiled when they realized how she reacted.

"I'll be sure to let her know you appreciate it." Lauren placed Fluffy in her lap as she moved to start pulling things out of the box. They went through pictures and trophies and awards and random drawings that Lauren had made as a child. Her old report cards were in there, old crafts she had done in grade school were in there, and even all of her old school photos were in there. Bo's favorite was Lauren's second grade photo, where she was missing her two front teeth but had the biggest smile anyways. When she got to the bottom of the box, there was one more picture album. She started flipping through the pages, uncertain of what she was seeing. Before that, she had looked at what she pulled out, handed it to Bo, and told a small story. That she broke the conversation and stared at these pages with confusion caused Bo to move next to her, leaning over her shoulder to view the pages, too. "That's me."

"We've already established you were a cute kid; wow, I didn't realize how much Briann looks like you." Bo smoothed a finger over a picture of a smiling baby Lauren. There were even pictures of her and Roger together when she was one. The one thing that was strange about these pictures is that they were all of her, and they were all smiling and happy. Lauren didn't remember ever seeing her mother smile at her so…lovingly, but here it was, captured in all of these photos.

Lauren felt sick to her stomach; her mother really had loved her.

What bothered her more was that her mother's expression was the same exact one she gave to Briann now. This scared Lauren; if her mother could change this easily, then she was capable of it, too. She hated the idea of treating Briann anything like her mother had treated her. For the first time since having their daughter, Lauren was completely scared she would become her mother. The thought had crossed her mind, but she had decided there was no way she could ever become that cold and distant, easily ignoring her daughter. Bo was right; she needed to open up more like this if she really wanted to prevent this from happening.

"You okay?" Bo's concern could be heard in her voice. She moved her arm around Lauren's back, placing her head on Lauren's shoulder and embracing her. It was comforting and caused her to relax her tense muscles. In response, Lauren just chuckled lightly. Slowly, it turned into a full blown laugh, and eventually, Bo started to laugh uncomfortably with her until they were both rolling on the floor, tears falling down their cheeks from laughing so hard.

"What the hell is going on out here?!" Gram came rushing out of her office door, probably pissed that they were making so much noise, but Lauren didn't care. She hadn't felt this…alive in months. "What are you girls doing out here on the floor?"

"Going through these old boxes, Gram." Bo was the first to recover, as she stood from the floor. Lauren chuckled at how wide-eyed and apologetic Bo looked.

"Well, I am trying to do work; do you think you could go through the rest of them in your room?" Gram looked down at them, and her expression changed from frustrated to amused. "Should we postpone your meeting?"

"No need. We'll move the boxes back into the room, and we'll go through them later." Lauren felt her endorphins running high, which meant when she looked at Bo's ass, which was right next to her face, her arousal wasn't long to surface. Sure enough, Bo picked up on it immediately and turned her head to lock eyes with her. "We'll just pick this stuff up and let you get back to work. We still on for 4:00?"

"4:00 is good; if you don't make it, I'll know not to call out the hounds." The thought that Gram had picked up on the sudden sexual tension did not even seem to bother Lauren right now. At the moment, all she could think about was Bo's ass. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep the reaction down.

"Ohmygod, Lauren, did you just whimper?" Apparently, it didn't help any, as Bo's eyes widened in surprise and arousal in response. Lauren could only stare at Bo, who had turned her attention back to Gram. "Okay, Gram, yeah…maybe we should postpone."

"How long has it been? I thought things were fine in that department, from what I hear." Gram openly chuckled at them. During her "I need to fuck now" moments this past month, Bo had not hidden her vocal reactions, even knowing their bedroom wasn't that far from the kitchen or this hallway. They were not doing a good job of hiding anything now.

"We'll just clean this up and see you at dinner. We can talk then." Bo wasted no more time, as she bent down to start tossing pictures back in the box. Lauren was late to the draw, still focused on Bo's body, which was now moving on all fours beside her. Once she snapped out of her daze, she started haphazardly throwing the things back in the box, gripping Fluffy when Bo went to grab him to put him in there. "Give me the fish, Lauren."

"You found Fluffy?" Gram didn't look surprised, like she had been the one to hide him from her. She actually sounded more amused than anything now. The lighthearted feel seemed contagious.

"Yes, Fluffy was in this box, and I'm going to clean her up and give her to Briann." Lauren pulled back the fish from Bo, who narrowed her eyes and brow at her.

"That's cute; give me the fish, Lauren. We'll come back for her and the boxes later. Right now, we should go…do that thing…" Bo grabbed for the fish and successfully retracted it from Lauren's grip. Okay, so Lauren let go a little at the mention of "the thing," and they really could come back and save Fluffy later. She didn't want the poor fish to witness the extremely graphic things that were about to happen; she could feel them boiling in her limbs. They both stood and tossed the box in the closet before closing the door a little harder than intended. "Sorry, Gram."

"Be careful, girls." Gram called after them, as she made her way back to her office, still chuckling lowly.

"We will." Bo grabbed Lauren's hand and pulled her out of the hallway. Suddenly, they both had more energy than either of them knew was existent in their bodies lately. Lauren didn't care where it came from, though, as long as it was there. Kenzi still had Briann until dinner, and Bo had made it so they would have an extra hour.

As soon as they crashed into their hallway, they started touching. As soon as the bedroom door was open, they had both pulled their shirts over their heads and tossed them. As soon as the bedroom door was shut, they had both unbuttoned pants and kicked off shoes. As soon as they were fully inside the room, they wasted no more time in devouring the other. The laughter and moans that followed were exactly what they both needed.

Opening up wasn't all bad, after all. Lauren was definitely going to try harder now, especially if Bo came out of her funk like this. Laughter and open communication; who would have thought this was what they needed? It was the first time in a long time that sex was not only pleasurable, but it was also fun.

* * *

Bo sighed and let out a deep breath. She felt…good. She hadn't felt good and sane in quite some time. This was more than sexual healing, though; this was her connection with Lauren. No wonder she was so happy.

Lauren had said she would try opening up more, and that was all Bo knew she could expect from her wife. Still, the things Lauren tried usually had good results, so Bo hoped this would be no different. It was her wife's personality, and she loved her despite her closedness, but Bo really did believe understanding their pasts would make them stronger together in the present and future. They had ignored it for far too long.

She sighed again before rolling over to wrap herself more around Lauren's body. Her leg tucked between her wife's two legs, she pulled Lauren closer with the arm that was already wrapped around her torso and snuggled her head closer to Lauren's chest. They had been like this for quite some time; the light outside was starting to diminish, so they both knew that they would need to get up and possibly even shower before dinner. They ended up sweatier than usual; the reasons and memories of why made Bo's eyes flash.

"Mmm…thank you. That was…thank you." Bo leaned her head to place a kiss above Lauren's right breast, where her head had taken temporary residence.

"You're welcome." Lauren laughed softly. Bo's body and head moved with the laugh. "Good thing you postponed that meeting."

"Yeah, well, if you could have seen how hot you were burning, you would have cancelled it, too." Bo bit her lip and tried to get even closer. "Thank you…for letting me see some of your past."

"Mmm…we can go through the rest of those boxes later if you want. I just…it's a lot." The way Lauren's eyes lit up at seeing that stuffed fish, and the way her entire being panicked when she looked in that photo album made Bo understand exactly how hard it was for Lauren to release those emotions.

"That's okay. You opened up; that's all I wanted, really." The past month had seen Bo go through so many different emotions herself; for the first time since her death, she felt truly alive. "Actually, I've been thinking lately."

"A dangerous thing." Lauren laughed again. Bo swatted her wife's side in response, though she couldn't hide her own smile.

"I'm serious." Bo cleared her throat before pushing herself up a little so that she could look down at Lauren. "What if we took a trip?"

"Just let me know when; I have to clear any vacation time with Lachlan and Evony." Lauren became quiet, probably feeling guilty for reminding Bo that she wasn't free to leave whenever she wanted. For some reason, this bothered Bo but not like it usually did. She was too high on the sex to really worry much right now. She would get Lauren's freedom; somehow, she would get it. Now, she just wanted to focus on actually being with Lauren and raising their daughter.

"Actually, I was thinking we could go see my parents." Bo stared into Lauren's eyes, giving time for it to register. She loved when she managed to make Lauren stupid; that meant her succubus credibility was still in tact. "I mean my adopted parents; the Dennises. I've been thinking that I want you to see where I grew up, since I've seen where you did. I was thinking maybe closure would actually be good."

"Are you sure, Bo? What about that boy you killed?" Lauren went to sit up and Bo allowed her a little movement, even if she did keep her body against hers. "I guess I never thought about it, but should I look up the case file to make sure it will never be opened again? It did happen before anybody knew you were fae."

"I'm sure it will be worse than dinner with your parents, but…I can't ask you to open up more about your past and not open up more myself. I want you to see where I grew up; it wasn't bad until I panicked and ran. I actually liked the little town. People probably won't really recognize me; it's been a long time." It dawned on Bo that it had been almost fifteen years since she had been to see her parents. Even if they weren't her real parents, part of her still thought of them as such. They had raised her; they had given her all of these morals and human ideals about love and life. They were the reason she fought so hard for humans, despite being fae. She wanted to share that with Lauren, no matter how awful the reunion would be. For all she knew, they would call the cops on her the second she showed up, but she had to try. There wouldn't be many more opportunities, since they were an older couple when they adopted her. Their mortality was more apparent than her own right now. "Please?"

"Are you serious about this?" Lauren was skeptical, probably unsure of what would happen when they went. She was being protective; this made Bo smile at her and lean over to give her a kiss in response.

"I'm positive." Bo leaned down to kiss her again. "I'll check with Hale, make sure he can keep everything calm here, and I'll start planning the trip. Give me some dates when Lachlan will let you go, and we'll sort everything out."

"Okay, but…should we take Vex? Do you think we need backup?" Lauren was still a little upset that she hadn't taken backup to see Elder Krane, especially when she found out that Gram had suggested that very thing. "If this is what you need…"

"I need you, and I want to share this with you. I want to close that chapter completely, and I want you there with me." Bo had spent so much time getting used to being fae and having powers that she had not thought much about what Mary and Sam's responses would be to her bringing a baby and a wife home with her. They didn't know she was fae; they were also super religious. Still, she needed to do this. Lauren nodded softly in response.

Bo was going home.


	13. One Hungry Succubus

The small farm community hadn't changed much in the last fifteen years. Even though certain buildings were new or missing, Bo still recognized certain landmarks. On the drive into town, they passed the stockyards, where her family would go every Thursday for dinner after Sam Dennis took in their livestock for sale, if they had any that week. Regardless if they did, they would still go to dinner with the other farming families. Bo remembered the smell of various animals and used hay that would assault her before they entered into the restaurant section, though she couldn't remember the food being phenomenal. At the time, she probably thought it was the most upscale dining experience ever, but now, after her many adventures and definitely after having had dinner with Lauren's family at the country club, Bo realized how much of a farm girl she was. She wondered if Mary Dennis still said grace and read Bible scripture before every meal, regardless of where she was.

The next thing they passed was the old dime store, where she had bought her first everything. Since her parents were farmers, they had tried to only focus on mom and pop shops; it was one reason Bo still shopped local, though buying diapers in bulk had convinced her to succumb to the pressures of superstores. Now, the old dime store, which was located in a small shopping center, was apparently a cash advance place. She had bought her first piece of candy, a fireball, here when she was five. She had earned a nickel for helping her mother one day on the farm; they were trying to teach her how hard work was rewarding . They had even driven her here to pick out a piece of candy from the various plastic bins with the individually wrapped candies. Candy was only allowed on special occasions. This was also the place she bought her first cassette tape, REO Speedwagon, though her parents had thrown it out when they caught her listening to it. She had to listen to Hank Williams and Patsy Cline songs for the rest of her life as punishment. It was probably why she adored 80s power ballads and loated country music.

Regardless of the several other changes and rundown areas they passed, Bo was pleasantly surprised to find the downtown area had been remodeled and was quite artsy and nice. If this had been here when she was a teenager, she would probably have done more rebellious things or tried to sneak out of the house with Kyle more often. She definitely would have listened to more REO Speedwagon or Whitesnake. Then again, maybe all of this had always been here, but she was too young and naïve to really notice. If she wasn't on the farm or with her parents, she was usually at church, with Kyle or her best friend, Mel, who was Kyle's sister, or at some volunteer function for Girl Scouts or the church.

Lauren had let her drive, which was probably not a good thing since Bo couldn't stop gawking at everything. She had swerved off of the road a few times already and had to hide her smirk behind her triggered apology. When Briann was in the car, Lauren always took control and drove, especially after that last time Bo had managed to get into a high speed chase with a Dark Fae Hermes when she was doing the undercover gig on the underfae underground racing. Honestly, she never minded when Lauren took control, though she did miss driving her Camaro, since it was such a chick magnet car despite its flaws. It wasn't even allowed to sit in the Panty Dropper Cave, as Kenzi called the garage that held Gram's car collection. Still, Tthere were a lot of good memories in that car, and she had to admit she loved when she got to go into the city by herself because it gave her and the old car a chance to reconnect.

One thing Bo did do was make sure that their accommodations were not in the seedy motel in the middle of the ghetto part of town, which used to be where hookers and other shady activity happened. Granted, the shady activity here was nothing in retrospect from where she had been over the years, but she still didn't trust that part of town. At the time, Bo had no idea why she sensed such high energy in that place whenever they passed it on the way to church; now that she knew she was a succubus, a lot of the memories and things from her hometown made a lot more sense.

A lot of memories were flashing at her at once, and she was starting to become overwhelmed. She was glad the French Quarter hotel, which was the new upscale hotel right along the river downtown, was within viewing distance. The hotel wasn't large, and she didn't imagine it was actually as upscale as it claimed, but Bo still felt more comfortable getting a room here for the next two nights. She had considered calling the Dennises and asking them if they could stay with them, but she was honestly afraid of the answer. Lauren may be sad that she was easily discarded, but she didn't recognize how much love was actually there still from her mother. Bo imagined there was nothing left of her in this place.

When Lauren did some research for her, she had discovered that Sam Dennis had died six years ago. He had died of a heart attack at age 73. In the obituary, there was no mention of leaving behind a daughter. Bo still couldn't decide if this made her angry or sad, though she did admit the sympathy sex from Lauren had made her act a little of both, probably more than she actually felt.

There was a train running along the tracks, and Bo decided to take Lauren and Briann on a good stroll along the riverwalk before the sun started to set tonight. The farm was about fifteen miles outside of town, and Bo didn't want anybody to become alerted of her presence so she felt the darkness was necessary. While Lauren did find out that Kyle's case had been closed long ago, Bo still wondered the details. Did it mention her at all? What did it say was the cause of death? She hadn't felt the lack of guilt in a while since Number Two had taken it from her, probably because she had accumulated so much new guilt. Being in this town again, surrounded by her old regrets and guilt, Bo became more aware of how much a part of her past was missing because of this. The Kohanim had said her guilt was what made her who she was, so when she sacrificed it, she had no idea how much she had given up until now.

Lauren did the heavy lifting by checking them in while Bo waited in the wings with Briann. She didn't want to risk being seen too much, which is why Lauren was going to pick up takeout from the local Italian hotspot down the street once they were settled in the room. The place didn't serve alcohol, so it was one of the places Bo was allowed to go when she was a teenager.

Once they were in the room, Bo settled on one of the beds with Briann and some old cartoons. She was surprised to recognize how different the news channels were here; after watching a local news station that showcased one of the girls she went to high school with as the co-anchor, Bo flipped the channels until she found cartoons. They were much more enjoyable to watch than Connie Sanders, who had been the popular smart girl and class president back in high school. She was actually the first girl Bo had felt her succubus powers react to, though she had been ignoring those urges at the time and definitely didn't know what they meant. When Lauren returned with the labeled white bags turned on their sides, Bo felt her eyes flash from the promise of what was inside. She settled Briann on the floor with some toys from her bag, cartoons on as more background noise than anything for the little girl, who seemed more interested in tossing the various shapes into the stacking buckets than anything else.

As Lauren arranged their food on the tiny table, Bo went to wash her hands since she managed to get more of Briann's dinner on her than in the baby's mouth. As she was drying her hands, she stared at herself in the mirror and saw brief flecks of blue shining in her eyes. Without warning, her other hunger crept up on her. She closed her eyes and counted to ten to calm herself. In this tiny room, she would have to wait until Briann was down for a long nap before she could satiate this particular need. She hoped Lauren wouldn't mind, since they could put Briann in the pack and play for her nap while they hid in the bathroom and took care of things; she had enough control to be quiet, even if Lauren brought out some of her more intense moves. She wasn't sure she could convince Lauren to do it here, but she knew she was going to try her damndest to make it happen. Bo's eyes flashed deeper again, and she knew Lauren sensed it. She could tell by the sudden guilty arousal in her aura.

"You okay, Bo?" Lauren sounded concerned, as Bo heard the momentary silence of paper no longer being shuffled.

"I'll be good. We're not going anywhere for a while, and Briann has a nap coming up soon." Bo hoped upon hope that the little girl would actually go down when she was supposed to; she didn't realize how strong her hunger was. They had flown into the closest airport, but it still required a two hour drive after that. The drive here wasn't as interesting as settling Briann on the flight.

"You sure? Briann will probably go down sooner than you think, since she was refusing to nap in the car." Lauren was the one that encouraged creativity and joy in their child. It always made Bo melt with adoration to see her wife doting on their daughter so much; however, if she had to ever hear "Wheels on the Bus" or "The Itsy Bitsy Spider," Bo was going to throw out of the window that children's CD Lauren had brought with them. Briann would squeal and vocalize her distaste for the other songs on the album; even though none of them were phenomenal, by the time the seventh "Wheels on the Bus" rolled around, Bo longed for those other songs. "I can put her down now, and we can eat later."

"No, babe, let her stretch. I can hold it." Bo splashed some cold water over her face, grateful for the waterproof makeup Kenzi had given her for her birthday. Kenzi wasn't kidding when she said there wasn't much time to apply everything once the kids entered the picture. Still, eyes were easy; matter of fact, Bo had bought her first mascara at that old dime store, though Mary had made her read extra scriptures out loud before bed that night. The thought that Lauren was actually sounding like she was going to give in to her only made her hungrier in anticipation.

"Okay, as long as you're good with onion and garlic breath." Lauren was rumpling the paper from the sandwich, the crunch from the paper indicating that she was opening it and pulling out the paper tray in which it was nestled.

"Eat, Laur. I'll be there in a second." Bo could hear the familiar sounds of Lauren eating; the polite chewing and soft hums of approval. She smiled, knowing that she was sharing her past with Lauren with just a simple sandwich. Again, it wasn't gourmet anymore, but it was still the best to Bo. She splashed another bout of cold water on her face before drying it and taking a deep breath. She shook out her arms and hands, hoping this was all enough to calm her sudden hunger. She walked out to find Lauren mid bite; the "uh-oh, caught" look made it obvious that Lauren was eating way too fast, a habit that she had when she either enjoyed something so much that she couldn't wait to do it again or because she was in a hurry. Bo smiled, knowing that this time it was a little of both.

"This is good, Bo. I can't say I've had a Stromboli steak sandwich before this, and I know I argued about the red meat and grease, but I'm glad you talked me into this." She used her foot to kick out the chair a little more, offering it to Bo. "I was worried about the pickles on there with the pizza sauce, but I get it now."

"Told you. You can't be healthy all of the time." Bo moved to accept the offered seat before pulling out her own sandwich; it smelled and looked exactly as she pictured it in her head. She couldn't hide her satisfied smirk; she loved being right and winning their tiny arguments, especially against the doctor. There were healthier options on the menu, but Bo wanted her wife to experience this trip to the fullest. That meant going out of her comfort zone. "No chips?"

"Peanut oil, so at least I win that." Lauren's allergies had caused Bo to forego a lot of things over the past four years. Usually, she had gotten into the habit of asking at restaurants and reading food labels, but being back in this place and wanting to reintroduce her to things from her past had made her temporarily forgetful. "Though, I did stop at the convenient store and picked up some food for Briann, so I managed to find you some baked chips, if you really want them."

"Yay." Bo knew her sarcasm turned to genuine enthusiasm when she noticed that Briann had laid down on the blanket and was starting to talk to her stuffed panda. That meant she would be out soon. This caused Bo to move a little bit faster with her basic eating habits. Lauren beat her and was already finished assembling the pack and play when she got to her final bite. This used to be her favorite food once upon a time, so Bo was surprised to find she had barely taken the time to enjoy it. Instead, her interests and appetites had shifted; just another thing on her list of things that changed about this town.

"Mmm…I'll get her to sleep." Lauren crouched down to pick Briann up and cuddle her. The little girl immediately wrapped her arms tight around her mother's neck and laid her head there; Lauren went about lulling her to sleep, while Bo did her best to keep the noise to a minimum while cleaning the table. Briann, still fighting sleep, would voice her trademark "huh" and pop her head off of Lauren's shoulder to discover the disturbance in the room. Lauren would just shush her, kiss her head, and snuggle tighter, which would cause Briann to happily go back to her previous position. When Bo was busy brushing her teeth, she wasn't surprised to find Lauren wrapping her arms around her from behind and placing her own chin on Bo's shoulder, both of them staring back in the mirror. "She's down."

"Sorry about the garlic and onions; I should have thought about that."

"It's not like you knew you were going to get…hungry like this. Besides, I've kissed you with way worse breath, Bo."

"Well, I should have known better."

"You know you can't control when your hunger shows itself; you can just control what you do about it."

"It doesn't make sense why I would react so strongly." Bo wasn't surprised she changed demeanor so quickly.

"Well, the last time we were in a hotel room…" Lauren lifted one eyebrow and her eyes said the things that didn't need to be, which caused Bo's eyes to flash a particularly strong shade of blue from the memory. That had seemed so long ago. She extricated herself from Bo before moving to start putting toothpaste on her own toothbrush. Bo had lived with and travelled with Lauren enough to know where everything went once she unpacked them. Lauren had even trusted her with it now and only mildly rearranged when she returned. This time, nothing was moved, which Bo knew was more because of the anticipation and sexual frustration they were both holding in right now than anything else. "Plus, you're back in this town. This is where you first lost control and your hunger took hold. From a psychological standpoint, it makes perfect sense why you would revert to past behavior and insecurities."

"If you geek out on me right now, I may forget the little control I do have." Bo watched as Lauren brushed her teeth, the foam forming and escaping from the sides of her mouth. It was strangely the most unattractively sexy thing she had seen in a while. While Lauren was rinsing with mouthwash, Bo decided not to wait any longer, so she started to unbutton her wife's jeans while she spit into the sink. At least she had foregone flossing this time; again, this was probably from the anticipation. Bo moved to pull the jeans off and wasn't surprised when Lauren stepped quickly out of them, leaving her in only the tight white cotton tee and cotton underwear. Bo was so happy that Lauren's confidence returned about her body. And oh, what a body. She met her for a kiss before pulling Lauren's shirt over her head, her hair cascading in waves from its removal. Lauren shuddered, and Bo couldn't turn her eyes, which were now permanently blue, away from staring at her wife. "Okay, so geek out not necessary at this point. I'm pretty much ready to go."

"We need to go into the bathroom." Lauren pulled Bo along with her before she shut the door behind them. From earlier appraisal, the bathroom looked like every other hotel bathroom, but Bo had already scoped out the situation in here once they arrived, so she knew the layout. It had been a long time since they had done anything sexual outside of their own bedroom, and even longer since they had done anything outside of the confines of their own home. Not for lack of Bo trying, though. She had even suggested a few excursions to random places just for that purpose, trying to spark some extra passion, despite the fights they usually caused. For a while, Bo thought Lauren was losing interest because they used to do crazy things all of the time; Lauren had the charts to prove it. Bo knew better, though; even with her succubus in control, she wasn't sure she would have been able to go through with some of her crazier suggestions if Lauren had agreed. That was the traces of Hestian she got from the bond, and she knew it would still take awhile before they both fully felt comfortable reliving some of their more naughty moments.

Now was different, though. Bo felt the succubus part of her sigh in relief; she needed the out of the ordinary and uncomfortable sometimes and had been denied this need for too long. Couple that with what Lauren was saying about her reverting to old Bo, and that made for one hungry succubus.


	14. Tomorrow, You're Always a Day Away

Lauren looked over at Bo, who had the biggest smile on her face. She couldn't help but smile in response, knowing that she had managed to put it there. There was something always so intriguingly erotic knowing that she could turn probably the world's most powerful succubus into a bowl full of smiles and exhaustion. While this wasn't the kinkiest thing they had ever done, it was quite the stepping stone for them since pre-Briann. Lauren actually surprised herself. When she felt Bo's hunger before they ate dinner, Lauren instantly went into arousal mode and automatically knew and wanted to do something about it, despite Briann sitting not ten feet from her, throwing shape blocks into a bucket none the wiser of the tension and frustration that randomly surfaced in the room around her. She could herself outside of the mother role for the first time; feeling Bo's hunger and neediness, knowing that she could do something about it if she wanted to, Lauren found herself in the sexual role again. She had missed this feeling; the entire feeling actually: the beginning anticipation, the during exaltation, and the after satiation.

Bo was asleep, which was Lauren's goal since she knew her wife probably wouldn't sleep tonight from the unknowing and nervousness at what today would bring. Any amount of sleep, even if the sated exhausted type, was welcome. Instead, Lauren found she was the one sitting up in nervousness and anticipation. She knew what Bo must have felt like now, not knowing much or hearing much about her past or who she was before they met. They would definitely open up those other two boxes when they returned. If it happened to bring about more grateful and enjoyable sex from her wife, then Lauren would not complain. That was the succubus in her from the bond, she knew.

Her own sexual hunger had always been there, hiding, but she knew it was there. It just seemed odd doing some of the crazier things they used to sexually since Briann was in the picture. At least they had finally fully moved her into her own bedroom, though Lauren did find herself waking up earlier still, just to sit in the rocking chair in her room and watch their daughter sleep before she woke up at 8:00 a.m., almost on the dot.

After their quickened bathroom excursion, they had taken quicker showers to clean the sweat and sex from their bodies. Although, the quick turned into another reason to stay in the shower longer because Bo was apparently hungrier than she admitted. Lauren actually felt more energized instead of tired from the heavy amount of chi that Bo had extracted from her, so she was happy when Briann woke up not long after they were dressed and ready to do something fun. Bo had suggested a walk along the river, since it was dark and people wouldn't really recognize her. That meant unlayering, since the weather was still humid at night because of the summer weather and being closer to the equator; in fact, they weren't far from several deserts here. They didn't stay out there long for that reason and because they actually had no stroller. They had to rent a pack and play from the hotel and a car seat from the rental car company. Lauren was actually surprised that Bo had remembered to think about these things when she had made all of the arrangements for this trip. Since they wouldn't be here that long, Lauren wasn't really surprised they didn't bring these things with them on the plane. It might have been a bit cheaper, but the lack of hassle was worth it, she discovered.

Once they got back to the hotel, they had played a little with Briann on the floor before she had dinner and decided it was time for bed. The flight must have really worn her out today, since she went down easily twice in a row. When she was obviously out for the night, Bo and Lauren snuggled on the couch and watched television. It was something they hadn't actually done in awhile, either. If anything, this trip was great for them reconnecting and remembering how great it was to do these things and be together. Of course, the looming drama that tomorrow promised was definitely par for the course, as well. It wouldn't be a complete Lauren and Bo romance without the drama and obstacles, after all.

Around ten minutes into the 11 o'clock news, Bo had started shaking, so Lauren decided it was okay to fully embrace her. Since Briann was asleep for the night and since she was out of sight of the couch, Lauren had initiated more sex. Couch sex was another thing they hadn't done in awhile, and Lauren didn't even care about what kind of germs their naked bodies were accumulating from this hotel couch. All she knew in that moment was that she needed to wear out her wife so she would sleep and not stew in her anxiety. She was glad to see it had worked, as she again looked down at a happily sleeping Bo. They had managed to move to the bed and under the covers for the last round. Lauren could sense Bo was awake, especially when her smile got bigger.

"You know, I was taught it's not polite to stare, but you go ahead and stare all you want." Bo took a visibly deep breath, as the bed sheet covering her naked body rose and fell with her.

"How are you feeling?" Lauren felt herself flush, which was surprising. Even after four years and a baby, Bo still managed to make her blush. Lauren could only hope that was something that continued for several years to come.

"Right now, fed and happy, though the effects will wear off soon." Bo moved to turn and didn't even seem to care that the bed sheet fell from her chest, giving Lauren a full view of the girls. Lauren's cough and deepened blush were definitely giveaways that she heartily approved of this sneaky succubus tactic. Plus, she was sure her aura just spiked again. "What about you? How are you feeling?"

"Happy, nervous, and everything in between?" Lauren let out a deep sigh, trying to expel the anxiety from her own body. She wasn't entirely convinced that she didn't get Bo's nervousness in the exchange. The emotional exchange had happened before because of their bond; she was feeling Bo's guilt at being back in this place, or rather, what she would have felt had the Kohanim not taken it from her. If she still had it, Bo may never have suggested coming back here. At least not for quite a few decades when most of the people who lived while she was here would be long gone. This trip had honestly surprised Lauren, though she was glad that Bo could finally get some closure, and she could admit that she was curious about Bo's upbringing.

"Mary Dennis is actually an extremely nice woman. If she remembers me, I…"

"She'll remember you, Bo. You're the type of person people remember, succubus or not." Lauren placed her hand over the uncovered part of Bo's hip, pretending like she could send her own calming succubus wave into her wife.

"If she remembers me, I want her to remember the good stuff; not the last ten minutes we knew each other. I said some pretty harsh things." Bo cleared her throat, but there was no real remorse about this. It was as though she was just stating facts. "I spent so much time wanting to apologize and feeling bad about the things I said to them before I left. I grew up thinking I was a regular girl, but when I hit puberty, I started to feel different."

"Your powers kicked in, Bo. If it makes you feel any better, nobody, human or fae, has a good time of it when they hit puberty. You had no way of knowing what would happen." Lauren shifted her body slightly, feeling the warmth of the sheet starting to fall down her own body, though she made sure to stay covered. She didn't have the natural body heat that Bo produced, and it was slightly cold in this room.

"I didn't even give them a chance to help me. I was scared and knew I had done something to kill Kyle, and I remember thinking I couldn't stand to disappoint them. My parents taught me that sex was evil, and I found out just how right they were." Bo stopped, her eyes escaping from the intense contact she was making with Lauren. "I was so terrified, so I told my parents what happened, and they broke down and told me that I was adopted. The only thing they had was this baby picture with a name written across the back. I hated them; I hated myself. I panicked and ran away; I didn't know what to do, and I never gave them a chance to explain anything."

"Well, you said they were extremely religious. I'm sure they expected more from you, but the succubus didn't make that a possibility. They didn't know what to do, either." Lauren started to run her fingertips in tiny circles on Bo's hip; it was the closest she would ever come to the succubus touch, and it usually worked just as well in getting a sexual response. Right now, it was meant to soothe and not arouse, though.

"I had all of these intense feelings bubbling up, and I had ignored them, hoping they would go away. I didn't know how dangerous I was. I tried talking to our pastor about it once when I first started noticing auras, but he only put me in more volunteer activities. He kept saying I just needed something to keep my mind off of it; that it was only powerful if I let it be powerful." Bo seemed to relax under her touch, but Lauren noticed how blank her wife's expression was. There really was no remorse there; only memories being recounted.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, and I'm sorry you can't feel bad about it anymore. I know you want to." She scooted her body a little closer, suddenly feeling the space between them. Bo may not have felt any of her old guilt about this situation anymore, but Lauren did. She knew the feeling of learning about family secrets out of the blue. Finding out you were adopted was no different than finding out you were actually a hybrid or that your family was actually part of a superhumanoid race. It seemed their lives had both been surrounded by secrets since the beginning.

"I do, but I just…don't. I don't even care about Kyle being dead beyond a general sadness that my first boyfriend is gone. I guess I never really noticed how much Number Two took from me until being back here in this town. I didn't realize a lot of my guilt came from here." Bo had told Lauren stories over the years about her childhood, and they had usually been fond remembrances. They usually had prompted Lauren to tell her own stories, even if she had never used much detail. Mostly, she would stay in her head about the recalled memories and similarities and differences of their childhoods. Bo had grown up in a loving family, even if they had been torn away from her because of the fae. It was the opposite for Lauren: Her family being fae is what pushed her away from them.

"We all regret things from growing up; it's how we learn to be who we are. We learn to live with those mistakes so we don't do them again. Even if they took your guilt, you still haven't killed anybody in years from draining them." Lauren moved closer still, trying to capture some of Bo's body heat to quell the sudden shivering.

"Yeah, but…I've been with the fae and known who I was. Before, I couldn't control it, but now that I can, guilt or no, that isn't something I could give away. The only time I ever lose my control is when it involves you."

"Well, you do a pretty good job of it still."

"I meant unleashing the Kraken." Bo's eyes narrowed, which only further emphasized her seriousness. "I have no idea why I couldn't use my powers on Elder Krane. I keep trying to figure it out, but I can't."

"Well, Wendigos are notorious predators, but they can't control their prey. It's the part they enjoy the most: the struggle and fear. They're cannibalistic, scary, sneaky, and intelligent." Lauren leaned her head back into the pillow for a second, letting the conversation change course. She leaned up on her elbow so that she could fully look down at Bo when she explained this. "She knew what she was up against, or she never would have made a meeting with you. Who knows if she really even intended to…kill you that day. She was prepared, though, so she probably had wards or a blocking fae in the vicinity. You do have a tendency to lose control when it comes to me; I agree. She would have known this, so she didn't want to risk you attacking her when she told you no. In all honesty, she was probably threatened by you. Wendigos are the worst type of fae when they feel threatened. I have done more than my fair share of autopsies from Wendigo attacks over the years; actually, statistically, they are probably the highest ranked fae and human death cases. Elder Krane is smart and knows how to follow the One Rule and still be herself completely. She won't want to change that and reveal herself for what she actually is."

"What if I can't get your freedom?" Bo looked like she wanted to cry; she had been cried out for about a week now, ever since their fun, healing sex after opening that first Lauren box.

"Then, as long as you're alive and we're together, I can live with that." Lauren knew this as truth, too. She didn't want to feel Bo's absence from her again; the way the bond was just ripped from her without warning. The way she felt her wife die. It was almost as painful as giving birth to Briann and defintely not something she wanted to experience again; not for a long time, at least.

"What if I can't?" Bo had been on one seeming mission since they met four years ago. To get this far, be so close, and stop now would cause Bo to probably break completely. She would keep trying, Lauren knew. She would get herself killed again trying, too, if it came to that. Even knowing that she had to go up against Elder Krane again and would possibly die again, Bo would still go, with or without Lauren's permission and ignoring everybody's warnings.

"I would expect nothing less of you, Bo. Even if it wasn't my freedom you were trying to get." She had to start getting used to the idea of her wife going back to work now; even if she felt her heart race and her entire being go into panic mode at just the thought of Bo going out there again, in any capacity, to fight.

"What if I do succeed?" Bo looked at her with those lost girl eyes. In these moments, where she was the most vulnerable, Lauren could see how truly beautiful Bo really was.

"Then…I'll live with it; just a little more openly." She smiled and rubbed her hand across Bo's side for emphasis. "This isn't my number one concern, babe. I'm happy just being with you."

"I guess I never even thought to ask before, but…do you want to be free?" Bo looked scared to know the answer, and Lauren had to admit, the question threw her a little.

"I…well…" She didn't know why she hestitated since she had wondered this herself several times. "Of course I do. Who wouldn't?"

"I know this has been your life…well, for pretty much your entire life really." Bo moved her own hand closer to Lauren, though she was seemingly still too afraid to touch her. "I just…being back here, I guess I realized how easy it would have been for me to stay. When I panicked and ran, I did so because I was so angry and impulsive. I know you're mad, but you're not impulsive. You overanalyze and calculate before doing something."

"I know you, Bo. I know you'll not stop until I am free, so even if I didn't want it, I know I need to start getting used to the idea. I admit it scares me a little, but…you'll be there, and Briann will be there. We'll be there together, so that makes it a lot less scary." She smiled even wider before removing her hand from Bo's hip to capture their hands together between them. Bo instantly relaxed and smiled in return.

"I love you. I feel like I haven't been saying that enough lately." Bo squeezed their hands tighter before moving her entire body just a little bit closer until their arms and hands were actually pressed lightly against their bodies.

"I love you, too." Her smile seemed permanently in residence now. Bo always did calm her nerves, even without really trying.

"When you meet Mary tomorrow, she'll probably not like you. This time, at least you know they'll be for human reasons instead of fae political ones. That's assuming she even lets us in the door." Of course, she also had a tendency to elevate her nerves at times, too.

"It's nothing I didn't experience before I knew about the fae. It's nothing I don't still experience daily _with_ the fae." Lauren felt her nervousness returning, and Bo must have sensed it. She leaned up and kissed her lightly, which caused Lauren to roll her eyes at how silly she was being. She knew most of her nervousness was because she had never met a girlfriend's parents before; even when she dated Nadia, she had never met Nadia's parents or siblings. They all lived so far away and Nadia had seemed to keep her secret, though Lauren knew it wasn't because her parents didn't know about her and them. Sure, she had met Bo's mom, but that meeting had been so clouded with a mystery to solve and her guilt at de-faeing her that really it had not counted as much. Plus, Bo didn't really know her biological mother until then, either, so it wasn't really that nerve-wracking. The same thing with Trick. Lauren had known Trick long before she knew Bo, though she did still feel a slight embarrassment around him sometimes, especially when they would meet him not long after she had done some X-rated things to his granddaughter. She knew Bo felt the same way about Gram, too, which made breakfast interesting sometimes.

"My first act as queen will be to end any and all slavery. There is only voluntary working allowed in my kingdom, and it must be compensated." Bo hadn't really mentioned being Queen before with such intensity and drive in her voice and expression.

"That doesn't surprise me. It won't surprise anyone." Lauren knew she would be a great queen.

"I want to learn more about the fae; not as I encounter them. I want to know the real history. I want to know the various types. I want to understand the politics completely, so I'll know where to tackle." Bo had never talked about doing this before, which only fortified how serious she was about becoming queen now. Lauren was honestly impressed, and more than a little turned on by the passion and intensity. Bo raised an eyebrow and smirked when she noticed it.

"Well, the farm is the perfect place to do all of that, especially if you are wanting to do it under the radar, though I don't think many people would question too much if you openly learned. You've been in the fae world long enough that people would understand your curiosity finally made way for the knowledge necessary to live with the fae. Some of them might even think you finally learning will sway you to stop being so damn rebellious." Lauren bit her lip and could only watch as Bo moved her hand from hers and pushed down the bed sheet from her body. Lauren felt cold and hot at the same time as her skin slowly was being revealed to the seemingly below freezing room. Her nipples agreed, though she wasn't sure if the peaks were from arousal or cold.

"At least tomorrow, we don't have to worry about anybody trying to kill us." Bo didn't even give her a chance to respond before moving her body on top of hers. Lauren couldn't help but realize just how well Bo knew how to keep her mind and body occupied so she wouldn't be nervous. The room was no longer filled with nervous energy because of her. Instead, it was only filled with sounds of approving moans, slow, loving kisses, and soft baby snores.


	15. Are You My Mother?

The last thing Bo expected to find when she drove up to the farm was how run down it seemed. Mary had always been the perfect farm wife, always out there working and tending to anything that needed done around the farm and still managing to keep the house perfect with food on the table by the time Sam came inside from finishing the work outside. Bo remembered growing up watching her parents working hard from sunrise to sundown. When she was old enough, at around eight, they had put her to work before she went to school and doing chores inside the house once she got home. Then, they would eat dinner as a family, have a Bible reading in the living room, and send Bo to the kitchen counter to finish her homework before bed. Even in high school, her bedtime was set at 10, though this was mostly so she could do the volunteer activities for the church and still do her homework before bed. The Dennises had her on such a strict schedule, and she really hadn't noticed or minded until she started hitting what she now knew was fae puberty at age 15. She had done that every day since then, so when she ran away, the first time she tried to sleep in, she found that she couldn't. Fifteen years definitely changed a person, though. Sleeping in had become one of her favorite things when she was allowed to do it.

For a long time, she became a creature of the night instead of the day. It mostly started as a rebellious act against her parents, even though they weren't there to see her do it, but then it just made sense since she was trying to hide herself and stay in the shadows. She would wake up in the afternoon, party or work at night, sometimes both, and then go to bed at sunrise. It was how she lived her life for years before Kenzi. Then, she would start to get up before noon and get to bed around three in the morning instead of sunrise, which was when Kenzi would usually pass out drunk on the couch. She really should have paid more attention to their drinking back then. Maybe it was a good thing Alexie came along when he did. Otherwise, Lauren may have been doing regular tox screenings on Kenzi's liver. Even though they had finally talked about what would happen once Kenzi was gone, she didn't want to think about it too much yet. They still had time. They were still young. Even if they didn't party like rock stars anymore, they could still have fun. She only had fond memories of the schedule she kept with her best friend.

That was her life for a few years, but then Lauren came into the picture completely. The doctor could never sleep past 10 a.m. on her days off no matter how hard she tried, so when they started living together, Bo found herself falling into that pattern, which meant she would go to bed and try to coerce Lauren to bed before 1 a.m. Dr. Lewis was usually up and ready for work before Bo crawled out of bed, and Bo found she liked those extra morning snuggles, so she had started adjusting her schedule again so she wouldn't miss her girlfriend before work. Even then, she could stay in bed and go back to sleep for a while after Lauren went to work.

When Briann came into the picture, Bo just threw schedules out the window completely. Although, the little girl had started to sleep through the night with rare middle-of-the-night wake up calls. Bo realized just how thankful her teeth had started to come in finally. Those two months were not fun on any sleeping pattern.

She parked the car and wondered if this was what it was like for Lauren when they had gone back to her childhood home. The drive here had increased the tension in the car with every mile. Briann squealing in the backseat had done nothing to alleviate the headache they both suddenly felt, and Lauren's knees were actually bouncing up and down so fast, Bo was about to pull over just to pin them to the floorboard and give Briann a cookie to keep her from talking to them in her baby babble.

The drive up the dirt road that led to the house was the worst, as the old ranch style home and barn appeared closer and closer with each slow inch she drove. When Bo parked, she knew that Mary was probably grabbing her shotgun. It was something Sam used to do whenever they didn't expect company and somebody drove up the long driveway. If somebody was coming all of the way out here from town, then they intended to be here. If they weren't expecting visitors, then they weren't usually welcome. Bo still hated guns because of that.

She looked at Lauren, who was now biting at her lip, hands gripping her knees, which were bouncing up and down faster, if it were possible. Bo saw how badly the porch railing needed to be painted and fixed in places, which surprised her because this was Mary's favorite place on the farm. They would sit out here every night on the swing and listen to the quiet sounds that surrounded them out here and the stars that were so clear. When she had moved to her first city, it was the first thing she noticed and missed about this place. It had almost made her grow a pair and move back home. It was the first time she actually felt homesick, but then, her hunger surfaced and she had to run again.

Instead of just jumping out of the car and running up the porch steps like she really wanted to, like she used to do when she was a little girl, Bo leaned over to run her right hand through the soft tendrils drooping down Lauren's shoulders and back. It was meant to soothe, but she could tell it only intensified her wife's anxiety.

"There's a woman staring out the window, Bo." Lauren was starting to shake the entire car with her movements. Briann took that moment to let them know she wanted out, promptly throwing her sippy cup at them and squealing at them. She was going to be a handful, and Bo had a feeling she was going to have to be the disciplinarian since Lauren was way too soft and sweet to their little girl.

"That would be Mary." Bo could only slightly see her through the window, but it was definitely her mom. She apparently hadn't changed her hairstyle in fifteen years, though Bo could tell that it had whitened more. The afternoon sun was shining, and they weren't parked far from the porch, so it was easy to see a lot of things she had been afraid of; mostly, the absence of her dad. "I should go first; see if she'll even talk to me before I try to throw too much at her at once."

"Do what you need; we'll be right here." Lauren looked back at Briann, who was pouting. She was too young to know what pouting was and had no doubt learned that from Kenzi and Alexie both. Lauren rarely pouted, and Bo only did it when she was trying to coerce Lauren into doing something particular outside the box, so their daughter definitely didn't get that from them. "Just give me a signal. If we need to wait out here, we will."

"How about you roll down your window so you can hear us?" Bo nodded toward the window, and Lauren smiled in response. Bo ran her hand through soft tendrils one last time before opening her car door, looking back at her wife, who was pushing the button to roll the window down. "Wish me luck?"

"We'll be right here, whatever happens. Just remember we're your family." Lauren unbuckled her seatbelt, probably prepared for anything. They had briefly talked possible scenarios this morning; several of them had Lauren jumping in the driver's seat so they could make a quick getaway. "Good luck."

"Thanks." Bo shut the car door and took a deep breath, staring up those stairs to the fading brown front door. How could Mary let the house and farm get so rundown? She had done as much, if not more, as Sam.

Instead of just running up the stairs and knocking, Bo found herself taking her time. Each step brought back a different memory. She grew up playing on this farm. She got her first bruise and splinter climbing on the wooden porch railing that wrapped around the house, despite her parents telling her repeatedly to get down. Well, she fell down instead, only proving how right they were.

She got her first kiss here on this porch, swinging with Joshua Bess when they were fourteen. All of the parents were inside playing cards while the kids all went around the house playing. Since they were the oldest, even though they never talked at church, he and Bo seemed to find themselves swinging on the porch and not talking. Finally, he had leaned over and just laid one on her. It was terrible and scared the hell out of her. She thought they had sinned for the longest time, especially when she explained it to Mary, who had explained that kissing was allowed only on special occasions but should be done sparingly, since it led to other things.

When she got up to the porch, she was not surprised to find the squeaks still in the boards. It was something Mary kept getting on Sam about: to fix the porch. He would keep putting it off, and apparently he never did get around to doing it. Bo looked back at Lauren, sitting in the car, now biting at her thumb out of nervous habit. One thing Bo knew about Lauren was that if she needed something fixed, it was fixed without question. A lot of times, particularly when they lived back at the clubhouse, Lauren had fixed things without Bo even telling her they needed done or without Bo even knowing they needed fixing.

When she reached the door and lifted her hand to knock on it, Bo was startled when her hand hit nothing but air. If she hadn't caught herself, she would have knocked right on Mary's face. She seemed smaller than Bo remembered; she was definitely older. Much older, in fact. Her expression and aura sent out waves of confusion, which was better than the anger Bo expected.

"Beth?" Mary's voice was raspy and vulnerable. She almost looked like she was staring at a ghost, which Bo suspected was probably true for the woman. "Beth?"

"Yes, um, yes. Beth. I'm Beth." Bo cleared her throat, suddenly feeling how dry she felt. "Hi, mom."

"Beth." The woman's eyes finally widened, tears welling in them. This was better than she expected, but Bo had learned never to trust first instincts. At least she remembered her, which was one of the things she feared wouldn't happen. In fact, not being remembered was what she feared the most in this reunion. "What are you doing here?"

"I…it's been fifteen years, and I wanted, no I needed to see you again. I read about dad. I'm so sorry." Bo suddenly understood what it meant to lose a father. Before, she had left them, but now, she would never have a chance to reconcile with Sam Dennis. She would never be able to ask for forgiveness. "I…I wanted to see you."

"Of course. Please come in." Mary looked out to the car in the driveway, and Bo turned her attention there as well. Lauren was hanging partly out the passenger side window, watching with wide eyes and a worried expression. "Would your friend like to come in?"

"Actually, I…that is…" Bo cleared her throat again. This was harder than she expected. "I know this is probably not the ideal time, but, she's my wife, and our daughter is in the car with her."

"What?" Mary seemed more confused than anything. "Your wife? Like Missy Lou and Dottie down the road?"

"Missy Lou and Dottie?" Bo briefly recalled the names of their neighbors. They were two older women living and working together on the next farm over, but growing up, Bo had never thought about the situation in much detail. When she hit puberty and could sense auras, looking back now, Bo recognized what Mary meant. "They were…huh."

"You have a daughter?" Mary didn't look disgusted, to her credit, but she did look all kinds of confused. Bo knew she probably should have waited to tell her about the wife and child, but if Mary was going to let them in, Bo didn't want to hide who she was completely. Hiding the fae was going to be hard enough for her, and in all honesty, she wanted this chance for her old family and her new family to meet. Briefly, she missed Kenzi and Alexie were here with them, too, though that would definitely confuse the poor woman even more.

"I know I probably should have called, but I was afraid you wouldn't let me come." Bo took a deep breath and let it out slowly, watching her mom's response. This was the woman who tucked her in and read _Farmer Grover_ to her at bedtime every night. This was the woman who cleaned her booboos and held her when she had nightmares. This was the woman who taught her how to cut the head off of a chicken. "I…I'm sorry. I was mad and scared, and…I'm sorry."

"It's hot out here. This is no weather for a baby to sit in the car. Please tell your friend to come inside." Denial was always one of Mary's biggest attributes. It was one way she able to stay so religious, Bo suspected. If she didn't admit that she knew about the bad things going on around them, then she wouldn't have to deal with them in an un-Christianly manner. "I will go start some tea. You remember where the living room is?"

"Yes, ma'am." Bo cleared her throat one last time, hoping that the promised tea would at least whet her palate a little. Mary disappeared slowly into the house toward the kitchen, leaving the door wide open. Bo found herself suddenly hyper, as she bounced down the stairs to the car. Lauren obviously took that as a bad signal, as she was currently crawling over to the driver's side.

"Just don't forget to put on your seatbelt, Bo." Lauren had managed to get into the seat and start up the car by the time she got there, but she just leaned over the car window and smiled at her wife inside. "What are you doing? Get in!"

"She invited us in for some tea, Lauren. I…I think this might actually be okay." Bo wasn't even sure she believed that. Too many things could still go wrong. For all she knew, Mary really had just gone back to grab the shotgun. When they entered her house, she could legally shoot them for trespassing on her property. Bo tried to stay optimistic, though; she needed to if she wanted to get through this.

"Tea?" Lauren looked surprised. She obviously wasn't expecting to really have to sit down with Bo's mother today. Actually, neither had Bo. Out of all of their possible scenarios, only two actually had turned out pleasant and only five had found them going inside the house. None of the scenarios really involved tea, though by association, being poisoned through cookies could have been an extension of that. Neither of them seemed to care that that particular scenario would take some planning and knowledge of their coming; unless Mary started using rat poison instead of glue traps.

"Yeah, tea. I told her my wife and child were out in the car, and she invited us in for tea, though I should warn you, she's probably not going to acknowledge the wife part. Still, it's better than what we thought, right?" Bo wasn't going to let herself get angry at this. She had expected this response from her mom, which is probably one reason she went ahead and told Mary about Lauren being her wife. It gave her a chance to test the reaction and their possible interaction in the next little bit. "Just remember that I love you."

* * *

Lauren found herself sitting on a plastic-wrapped couch, antique tea cup in her hand, though the liquid had long since cooled, and she had only pretended to sip once or twice when she noticed Mary Dennis eyeing her. Mostly, she had talked to Bo, or Beth, asking questions about what happened to her, where she went, and why she left.

Lauren watched and sensed Bo's reactions to everything. Being in this room, in this house, was seemingly overwhelming for her. There were a few times she thought Bo's eyes flashed whenever Mary said some particularly rude or dismissive things. The succubus felt threatened being here; this was the place where she was repressed and forced to stay dormant. Lauren was more concerned for Bo's calmness right now than anything. She was calm on the surface, but she was boiling inside. Lauren wasn't even sure that Bo knew she was boiling because her happiness at being here was clouding her emotions.

What Bo had probably expected when being invited inside was a welcome and warm reunion. In fact, Lauren could tell that's exactly what Bo was hoping for by her bouncy step coming to the car. She honestly scared the piss out of Lauren by running back to them like that, especially with the door wide open and a disappeared Mary. Lauren remembered some stories Bo would tell about Sam or Mary shooting at coyotes and raccoons all of the time.

Instead of what Bo expected, she discovered that her parents had looked for her about two years and then gave up and moved on. Her old room upstairs was no longer her room; they had transformed it into a craft room and extra bedroom. All of Bo's old things were donated years ago; there was nothing tangible left of her beyond a few pictures Mary brought out from a drawer. She said that she didn't want people asking too many questions if they left pictures of Beth out for them to see.

One thing they did learn was that police had stopped coming around after those first two years, finally stating that they were closing Kyle's case and Beth's disappearance. Her parents had apparently omitted the truth about Bo leaving; they didn't tell the cops that they had seen her and instead reported her missing. They never believed that their Beth would harm somebody; she was a good church girl, who just made a mistake and succumbed to the devil's temptations. Mary had even suggested slightly that Beth had been raped; that she wasn't a willing participant in the sexual act because her good girl would never have done anything so vile and sinful.

About that time was when Lauren realized that Mary wasn't all there. She was a shell of strong woman, and she could see where Bo got her convictions. However, the doctor noticed that something was a little off about her. She was possibly in the early stages of dementia. Given that she was 72, this diagnosis was probably close to accurate. Lauren also noted some cracking bones and joints, which indicated arthritis and a possible knee surgery. She was still spry and moving around, which was impressive, and Lauren liked to see people in her age range with a treadmill within viewing that was clearly used frequently. That meant she at least tried to listen to her doctor, which is more than she could say for most of her fae patients, let alone her human ones. A few Light fae patients had died this week because they wouldn't listen to doctor's orders.

Lauren found the way to calm her nerves was to focus on things she knew, which meant the doctor took over. She knew Bo hated when she used this as a defense mechanism, but it was all she could do while she sat in her quietness, holding Briann on her lap. Bo had to introduce Briann three times, and Lauren learned twice what Mary Dennis actually thought about her neighbors, which was a lot of quiet and polite hatred. That was always the worst kind of prejudice, she thought.

Bo fluctuated between sad, happy, frustrated, and ecstatic with several moments of anger thrown in for good measure. Lauren chose to just sit back and observe, believing that was the best method right now. This meeting wasn't about her. This was about Bo reconnecting with her past.

Lauren suddenly realized how good her parents were for at least keeping her room the way it was after she left. Then again, it hadn't been fifteen years since she'd seen or heard from them, and she hadn't run away. Even when she hadn't talked to them for six years, they had always known where she was. Even if her mother did give her those boxes, her room was still her room. She didn't know if it was intentional or because the room was so far away from the main house that it wouldn't serve any other purpose.

"How long are you in town for?" Mary had asked this once before but had apparently forgotten the answer Bo had given.

"We fly back Sunday. Lauren has to work Monday." Bo leaned forward on the couch, sitting next to her mother through the entire afternoon sitting. She had downed her tea several times and kept offering to refill the glasses for them from the pitcher Mary had brought out with her. The iced tea was way too sugary for Lauren, and the caffeine content was not going to help her anxiety level any, so she actually hadn't taken but a partial sip the entire afternoon despite her throat being dry.

"Would you and your friend like to come for dinner tomorrow night? I'm going to invite some of the church member over, including your Aunt Bernie. They would all be so happy to see you again." Mary kept a hold on Bo's hand, which stayed on her knee throughout the visit. There was no hugging or tearful reunion. Lauren was happy about this for the sheer comfort factor, but she could tell that Bo was slightly disappointed. "Please say you'll join us."

"Will we join you for dinner tomorrow night?" Bo looked over at her, but Lauren couldn't tell if she was asking permission to say no or to say yes. Seeming to decide she was no help, Bo turned back to Mary with an honest smile. "Of course we'll come for dinner. We'd love to."

"Oh, good." Mary's eyes were drooping slightly, and Lauren wondered if they had interrupted a schedule for the woman. Again, the doctor took control so she could avoid the extreme and extra anxiety Bo had just added to her. "I'll make roast and potatoes. I'm sorry it's store bought; I have trouble doing the work anymore by myself, and your uncle is good for nothing. I don't think anyone has actually used the slaughterhouse in two years."

"Well, I'm sure he would help if he could." Bo looked at Lauren again, this time with a knowing smirk. "We should go and let you rest."

"Oh, dear, you've not been here long. Are you sure you want to leave so soon?" Mary actually acted like a mother in that moment. Lauren could picture herself reacting that way if Briann ever became the prodigal daughter.

"We'll be back tomorrow. We'll come back early, if you would like, to help?" Bo was being almost too nice to her mother. Was it the years of being apart? Was it the fact that they had both grown older? Was it because her father was no longer alive, so she was overcompensating? Lauren wasn't sure why she felt so uncomfortable, and she couldn't blame it on the fae for once. She had to remind herself that Bo needed this, so she bit her tongue and just allowed her wife to keep volunteering them for things without consultation with her.

"Oh, I would love that, dear." Mary looked at Lauren and said something, but Lauren missed exactly what was said. She shook her head slightly to get her mind clear.

"I'm sorry?" Lauren addressed the woman, glad that Briann had stopped squealing for a minute.

"I told Beth she could invite her friend Laura along if she wanted. You and your child can come." So Mary was not accepting Briann as Bo's, or Beth's, or whatever was going on right now. Bo had explained that Lauren gave birth, and the human explanation would mean that Bo had nothing to do with the actual baby-making process. Looking at Briann, though, and seeing Bo as a little girl in one of the photos Mary brought out, Lauren couldn't deny that Briann was definitely a lot of Bo. Mary didn't ask for an explanation; she just asked what made Beth think the child was hers. Lauren was surprised Bo didn't go off on the woman for denying the child was family. "Dinner is at 4:30."

"Oh, of course." Lauren cleared her throat. It was the first time she had really talked in the past two hours. "We would love to join you."

"Beth, you can see yourselves out, I hope." Mary was not as fragile as she was letting on, Lauren knew. Was she playing the sympathetic old lady card? Was Bo really falling for it?

"Yes, mom." Bo moved over on the couch to wrap Mary into a tight, warm hug. Lauren narrowed her eyes, seeing how Mary didn't really look like she actually enjoyed the embrace. Bo was hugging her mother and believed everything was okay, and Lauren knew she would be too punch drunk happy about the entire situation to step back and reflect on the actual event. Sometimes, Lauren hated being the observant, rational one; she really wanted to give Bo this one, but there was just something…off…about the woman. She didn't really seem to care about her daughter being back, though she was trying her darndest to make it appear she was.

When they were driving back to town, Bo had the biggest smile on her face. Lauren figured she could keep it for a little while longer before she said something. Maybe she had just been imagining things because she was dismissed and not even considered, but Lauren knew that wasn't how she operated. She had been dismissed all of her life; this stranger doing it wasn't going to make her react any differently.

Overall, Lauren thought her first "meet the parents" wasn't that bad, though. It could have been worse; again, the scenarios they came up with this morning flashed through her head, especially the ones regarding the shotgun. Tomorrow would be different, she knew, because they would be surrounded by more people. It was a large possibility these would be people Bo had known growing up, so Lauren didn't feel her anxiety diminish. If anything, her blood pressure actually went up at the thought of dinner tomorrow night. They would have to leave the next morning; she hoped a shotgun wasn't involved tomorrow. She really wanted to make that flight home.

They decided to stop at a local diner downtown to grab dinner, since they had both skipped lunch because the anxiety curbed their appetites. Briann was already covered in her food. Lauren had tried to let her hold the spoon and use her fingers to feed herself. She was learning fast, but that usually resulted in her missing her mouth most of the time. She was already eleven months old and would be one year next month. Lauren found herself overwhelmed by this thought. They would need to consider the trip to the British Isles for next month. Lachlan and Evony had already granted her leave for the week, since Trick and Gram said they would be visiting all four family castles and staying there for a few days each. She wasn't sure about the details, and to be honest, Lauren was actually pushing off talking to their grandparents about it because she was afraid what crazy things they would have to put their daughter through while there.

All of these family trips were going to be exhausting, but Lauren looked over at her still smiling and happy wife and couldn't help but feel closer to her somehow. She had seen the place where Bo grew up, even if it wasn't exactly like it was when she lived there. Bo had always fantasized about her old farm, often comparing it to Gram's farm. Bo was always in awe of Gram's place, but she always seemed to love her family home. Lauren understood, since her own grandparents' farm was always the house she dreamed about. Whenever there was a house in her dreams, it was always that one.

"Thank you." Bo brought her out of her thoughts. Lauren looked up from where she was just playing with her own food. She hadn't touched much of it, but part of that was because of the greasy cholesterol trap on her plate. She ordered a salad, but it looked like someone had chopped half a head of lettuce and thrown fried chicken and bacon all over it, even though she had ordered grilled chicken and no bacon. She just pushed the meat aside and cut up the lettuce with the dull butter knife. "I know you're holding back, and thank you for letting me have this."

"Mmm." Lauren just nodded in response, smiling and trying to hide her worried expression. Bo knew, though. She would always know.

"I'm not that naïve. I know I just turned into a little girl who adores her mother back there. It's just that all of my anger for her and Sam is gone. All of my guilt is gone, and I did used to be a mama's girl." Bo smiled at her, which made Lauren smile genuinely in response. There was always something about the way Bo smiled at her; even when she was mad, Lauren couldn't help but smile in return. "I want to believe the best right now because I need to, but I'm realistic. If recent events have taught me anything, it is to be prepared for anything."

"I just worry, Bo. She seemed…off. I don't know her, and I realize that, but…she just seemed off somehow." Lauren pushed away her salad bowl, which was really a large plate with clear knife marks all over it. There was no way she could eat that without making herself sick. Bo had no trouble about devouring her cheeseburger and fries, though. She was wearing some of the ketchup on the side of her lip, which reminded Lauren about Tomas McGillen, which reminded her about the tattoo mystery. She had been casually doing some research, but it wasn't really as pressing as a depressed and/or crazy wife this past month.

"I was just happy she remembered me and actually wanted to see me."

"Which is what worries me, Bo. Didn't you say she was super religious?" Lauren hated making her wife think, especially when it took away her happy. "It's one thing to dismiss me as a friend instead of recognizing us as married or Briann as your daughter, too, but it's another thing to forcefully exclude me. I get being focused completely on you, but Bo, she was making a really strong effort to ignore me and Briann." Lauren knew that wasn't what bothered her, though. It was her too casual approach to seeing Bo again. "Even worse, she was forcing herself to be nice to you. She wasn't comfortable with you being there."

"Then, why would she invite us for dinner tomorrow?" Bo's smirk was more amused than challenging, but Lauren still took it as such.

"Maybe she thought you would decline." Maybe Lauren had actually _hoped_ Bo would decline, but she wouldn't say that to her. They had come out here for exactly this reason. "Why would she need more people over just to spend time with you, who she hasn't seen in fifteen years?"

"That doesn't make sense, though. Mary Dennis was always strong and never invited people over she didn't like, or people she thought were a bad influence." Bo was going to have a logical argument for everything Lauren said because she had the upperhand in this conversation. She had home field advantage. "She just wants to let people know I'm okay and home."

"Maybe she's planning a 'come to Jesus' meeting. She didn't have dinner planned at all until you were there today. She coerced you with your favorite meal and a promise of open arms to get you to come and be bombarded." Lauren knew she was being ridiculous in her arguments, and the more ridiculous ideas she came up with, the more her expressions started to physically surface, as well. Was Bo actually winning an argument using her words? Was Lauren really losing her logic and being driven by her emotional responses?

"I don't even like pot roast that much." She smiled now, probably knowing she won.

"You always said it was your favorite." Lauren narrowed her eyes a bit, though her own smirk started to show itself.

"Yours is my favorite pot roast; that doesn't mean it's my favorite food. You know what my favorite food is, silly." Bo loved Mexican food when they ate out, but her favorite food seemed to be sweet potatoes with brown sugar and butter, of all things. Nobody could ever guess that, which is what made knowing it extra special.

"Yeah, but…I am being silly, aren't I?" Lauren conceded. She had lost fair and square and needed to accept that they would be going to dinner tomorrow. Not that she didn't think they wouldn't be going if she had won the argument. Okay, so it wasn't much of an argument, either.

"A little bit, yeah." Bo reached over to place a hand on Lauren's, which did help alleviate some of her stress. "Relax, hon. This is just another dinner."

"Just, if she offers you Kool-aid, promise you won't drink it." Lauren could tell people were gradually looking over at their table. Since there was apparently a lesbian couple, at least one confirmed, in town, this couldn't be anything new to them. She wondered if some of them recognized Bo. She wondered how many of them would be at dinner tomorrow night.

"I make no promises." Bo smiled before moving to help clean up Briann so they could go back to the hotel for the night. Tomorrow was definitely going to be interesting. Lauren just wasn't sure what type of interesting it was going to be.


	16. Past Present Tense

Bo knew she was hoping for too much about dinner going okay tonight, but she understood exactly what Lauren meant now about her reverting to her good girl self. She could admit she just wanted to crawl into the arms that held her after particularly horrifying nightmares and the person who taught her how to ride a bicycle. Mary and Sam had taught her to never give up, even when she didn't succeed at first. This was probably why she was such a broken record when it came to getting Lauren's freedom.

Since her guilt was no longer apparent about this place, Bo felt more comfortable actually being home than she probably should have been. After all, there were still too many memories here that she wasn't ready to face. Even without her guilt, she was forced to see things she wished she hadn't, though she was letting herself stay in denial about them for now, since they posed no real threat. There was a minimal fae footprint here, and she mentioned that to Lauren, who had done some research on the area and only confirmed there were a few Akvan in the area, though they would probably not come across them while here.

Lauren's random intensity last night and this morning were extra adorable. The usually stoic and eloquent doctor was having a hard time hiding her emotions and expressing her thoughts. Lauren was the doctor most days, so it was good to see her stumble over words when not talking about sex to her grandmother or when Bo proposed some particularly kinky things. It was still utterly adorable to watch her wife squirm in those situations. Even after all of the naughty things Lauren had done to her over the years, the woman still had moments of shyness when it came to sex talk. It had mostly gone away for a while, but then Briann entered the picture, which meant Lauren became gun shy again. Bo noticed it had resurfaced, though. She wasn't sure when exactly; just that it had.

Bo felt her eyes flash at the memory of the other night. It was the first time they had sex outside their own bed in months, and even then, Lauren's office didn't count as that kinky, especially considering nobody had been in the building but them when it happened. The succubus inside Bo was salivating for more. Bo didn't want to scare Lauren off too soon, though, since the woman was a gradual process. Last night, Bo had tried to initiate more sex, but Lauren said no at first. Bo wasn't sure about the change in pace, but she loved that she was winning arguments with her logic lately. She would be concerned that her wife wasn't okay, but it was only the one day, and it only happened after meeting Mary Dennis yesterday. Bo knew there was nothing fae or mystical about it; Lauren was just nervous, concerned, and cautious. She was probably experiencing the same things that Bo had when she met Lauren's parents for the first time, except this was a scenario for which Lauren had never been trained, so it was obvious she was struggling with her emotional response.

They were supposed to be at Mary's at 3:00 p.m. to spend some time with her alone before the other guests started to arrive. Honestly, Bo was happy to go early and help the woman. That was one thing that would truly remind her of home: the hospitality that Mary had taught her and apparently still extended to her friends, which were no doubt still all from church.

Lauren went out to grab a quick lunch to bring back before they took another stroll on the riverwalk. Bo felt confident that they would be safe walking in the daylight now, especially since they weren't bothered at dinner last night. Sure, there were onlookers, but she could sense their auras were either highly intrigued or appalled. Besides, the people in this town were hard-working farmers and factory workers, and Lauren looked every bit the sophisticated upper class woman she was raised. Her wife really had no idea how attractive she really was, and Bo couldn't help but realize just how human and adorable Lauren was when she struggled to find logic in what she was feeling. Bo couldn't help the little bit of possessiveness she felt and how proud she was that such an attractive woman would be slumming it with her, even if the doctor, with all her poise and sophistication, stuck out hardcore.

Since Lauren had gone to retrieve their lunch, Bo was happily playing with Briann in the hotel pool. While it wasn't the "glorious and relaxing" experience the website promised, Bo was still having fun swimming Briann around the water. Nobody else was here, and she didn't imagine there would be anyone, even if it was warm outside. She sensed somebody enter the pool room, but she didn't think anything of it. After all, they weren't the only guests in the hotel, and it was a good day for swimming indoors. It was sunny and humid; almost humid and hot enough outside to make even non-guests seek shelter in the indoor pool here.

"It is you, then." The voice sounded familiar, and Bo mildly panicked at the words. In her line of work and knowing who she actually was, Bo could never be too cautious of strangers sneaking in on her. Bo found herself holding Briann tighter and moving them over to exit the pool, away from the voice. She turned around in her exit to see a familiar face. One she hadn't seen since the last time she was here in this town.

"Mel?" She hadn't seen the girl since she left, but she only looked like she had aged a little around the eyes. Bo immediately noticed how tired the woman looked; the next thing she noticed was her aura, which was not sexual but rather ire reserved for those whom sexual attraction will never be possible because of an underlying blocker, usually hatred or anger or despair. They had been best friends growing up. Mel was Kyle's sister. She had every right to be angry and hate her. She had every right to be sad.

"Beth. I knew it was you." Mel stepped forward, but she didn't really hold any malice in her stance. If anything, she seemed to relax in something akin to relief.

Lauren made that the moment she entered the pool area, too, arms holding white bags from the local Mexican place down the street. It hadn't been open when Bo was here, but the concierge recommended it, and they were always up for spicy food. She was starving before, but now, seeing Mel and Lauren standing there, one looking worried and the other relieved and angry, Bo lost her appetite.

"When Mary called and invited my parents to her house for dinner, stating Beth was home, I didn't believe it." Mel looked like she wanted to cry but couldn't. Bo imagined that she had been crying enough the past fifteen years and wished that she herself could cry about it, or at least feel bad about what she had done to Kyle. Bo felt empty without that feeling; it had dawned on her how much she missed it and needed it, but now, seeing Mel standing here before her, Bo felt it even deeper. "I couldn't wait. I called Mary myself to find out where you were. I had to see it with my own eyes."

"Do you need me to take Briann?" Lauren was always the overly cautious mother, so having a baby in a pool of three foot deep water with a possible threat standing on the edge, Bo only nodded before holding her up for Lauren to take, neither caring that her crisp, white dress shirt became soaked or that she had dropped the bags on the wet floor.

"I searched for you forever, and I found you several times. I caught you in Canada once about five years ago, not far from Toronto, but…you seemed to disappear again." Mel walked closer to the pool's edge, which caused Bo to pull herself out without bothering with the ladder. She had to hide her smirk at the intense, subdued arousal from her wife, though she was surprised that Mel sparked a little upon seeing her exit the water. "You looked a bit different, but I knew it was you. I tried to tell the police, even gave them the address I saw you enter and leave a few times, but they told me I was crazy. I showed them a picture and told them you murdered my brother, and they held me like I was the insane killer. I hated you for so long; I looked for you for just as long, so when I finally found you…. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"Didn't know?" Bo had picked up a towel to dry herself and wrap around her body so that Lauren could concentrate. She stood by her wife, who had bent to pick up the bags and lay them on a plastic lounge chair. Bo just kept her eyes locked on Mel's, trying to assess the threat level but really finding none. There were just a lot of emotions going on for her old friend right now, and she didn't want to break the rant. It gave her more time to truly assess the area in case she needed to get violent.

"Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me, though I'm surprised your handler let you come back here. Won't this be the first place the people will come looking for you?"

"The people?" Bo found herself trying not to laugh. Mel wasn't making much sense, but she just nodded and went along with it, since it was clear somebody had tried pushing the woman off Bo's trail. For a second, Bo thought it could have been Lauren when she was doing all that research, but then what Mel said about being in the police station back in the city, Bo knew it had to be one of her favorite fae-filled detectives. For now, she just needed to play dumb and not say much so that the cover up wouldn't be blown.

"The people trying to find you; you know, the ones who killed Kyle? If I had known you had come forward to help find his murderer, that you had to go into hiding, I wouldn't have spent so much time and money trying to find you and thinking you were the killer. I won't tell anybody, I promise." Mel suddenly made sense. Those boys were so clever; witness protection, eh? "Why are you back now, though?"

"Oh, uh…they actually gave me clearance since it's been fifteen years." Bo knew nothing about witness protection, and she was pretty sure once you were in, you were in for life. "The threat is…controlled."

"Bo, I'm going to take Briann and our lunch upstairs. Do you need anything?" Lauren had obviously already decided there was no threat and Bo's relaxation and amusement had probably confirmed that.

"Oh, uh, Mel, this is my wife, Lauren, and our daughter, Briann." Bo smirked a bit at seeing her past shake hands with her present and future. It was a simple and short joining of hands, but it meant a lot to Bo. Mel was the girl she used to share everything with, the one she used to tell her secrets to, and the one she had promised they would be best friends forever. Lauren was that person for her now. "Lauren, this is Mel, my best friend from school. She was Kyle's sister, the boy I dated that was killed."

"Oh, well, it's nice to meet you." Lauren smiled politely, since she never could do anything but, probably from all of that hoity-toity training her parents put her through growing up.

"Oh, Mary didn't mention." This wasn't surprising, though. Bo heard the avoidance and denial; she was just so glad to find civility yesterday that she chose to ignore that Lauren and Briann were ignored. They probably would be ignored tonight at dinner, too, and she did want to talk to Lauren about that, but they both knew it wasn't completely necessary. They both knew it could be much, much worse.

"We just bombarded her yesterday after I've been gone for so long." Bo wanted to go upstairs now, but she didn't want to abandon Mel. She actually found that she missed everything they were, but she suddenly felt bad that she never really thought too much about the girl and how easy it was for her to leave her best friend behind. "Are you going to dinner tonight?"

"Oh, uh…I hadn't really decided. I was afraid I wouldn't know what to say, which is why I came now." Mel moved to sit down in one of the plastic patio sets, but Bo didn't sit down across from her. Instead, she just moved over and stood there in front of the woman, arms folded across her chest. "I can't believe you're really here."

"Well, to be honest, neither can I." Bo relaxed her stance a little but kept her arms crossed. "This has been something I've needed to do for a long, long time, but I never had the opportunity or really felt like I could."

"It must have been hard, all those years being taken away from everything and everyone you knew, without even being able to tell them you were okay." Mel chuckled lightly, which caused Bo to smile. "Then you come back with a wife and a baby. When I found you, I kept seeing some tall guy come in and out of your place constantly. I never would have expected this. I mean, there were times in high school when I thought I saw you look at Connie Sanders a little longer than normal in gym class. You were so into my brother; I guess I never even considered…but then again, the city allows you to do crazy things you wouldn't on the farm. Still, I'm surprised."

"Love makes you do crazy things; it doesn't matter who the person is." Bo smiled a little. Lauren was definitely not somebody she ever would have pictured herself dating, but the woman had always been a magnet for her. Gender never mattered for Bo; she was all succubus needs and wants. Lauren just surprised her. "How about you? How have you been?"

"Oh, uh, good. I was married for a little while; have two kids, one in preschool and one in kindergarten. Their father keeps them during the summer months. I tried to go to college, but I was so…. Kyle's death was hard for me, and I was so angry with you and so convinced you killed him that I couldn't think of anything else." Mel looked at her with those sad, apologetic eyes again. Still, Bo couldn't force herself to sit down. "I really am sorry."

"Don't worry about it. I probably would have done the same thing." Bo imagined somebody kidnapping Lauren or Briann, remembered the few times Kenzi found herself in that kind of trouble, and knew without a doubt that she would have been even more intense and forceful about finding whoever she thought was responsible. "I hate to cut this short, but Lauren just brought back lunch and we need to put Briann down for a nap. Otherwise, we're talking one cranky baby tonight, and trust me, nobody wants that."

"Oh, of course. Sorry to keep you." Mel stood so fast that Bo was glad the pool area hadn't been used much, so there wasn't water for her old friend to slip on and fall.

"It's not a problem, Mel. I'll see you tonight, then?" Bo loosened her stance and made to grab their discarded pool bag and towels. Mel just nodded her response. "Good. We leave in the morning, and I could definitely use an ally tonight."

"Sure." Mel was probably still processing the wife and baby thing, from what Bo could gather from her confused aura. She hoisted the bag and towels over her shoulders before turning back to her friend.

"Mel?" She waited until she knew she had the woman's attention. "I'm glad you came to find me. It was really great seeing you again. I guess I never really realized just how much I missed of this place and its people."

Again, Mel just nodded her response. Bo walked her out to the lobby and waved to the woman's back. She took a deep breath and ignored the high sexual vibes she was getting from the concierge and the man standing in the lobby. It didn't help that she was wearing a small bikini. When she had destroyed everything in her closet, she was surprised she actually didn't tackle the underwear drawers first. Lauren had shown how thankful she was for that, though. Actually, Lauren's adorable sparkage about her new wardrobe told Bo exactly how much you could take the girl out of the private school and country club but you could never take the private school and country club out of the girl. Bo chose to ignore just how much her new outfits resembled Lilith and promised herself that she would buy more Bo-like attire when they got back home.

Bo chuckled before she got in the elevator to take her to the third floor. Maybe they could skip the walk after lunch and honestly put Briann down for a long nap. If this meeting with Mel was any indication, she was going to be exhausted tonight. Some delicious food, which was probably cold by now, if not a little wet from being dropped on the floor, and a good, long nap with her family sounded perfect. Lauren was worrying enough about tonight for the both of them. All Bo could do was stay optimistic and hope for the best.


	17. Surprised By Joy

When they arrived at the farmhouse, it had just been a repeat of the day before. Mary didn't seem too interested and forced herself to ignore the other two people in the room. Lauren asked if she needed any help in the kitchen but was brushed aside again. Bo went to help in the kitchen while Lauren stayed with Briann in the dining room. It was quite the reversal of their usual dinner roles, and Lauren felt useless. She hated feeling useless. Mary had insisted they move into the dining room to wait and Lauren didn't argue; they could both keep an eye on the other that way through the partition separating the rooms.

The only word that Lauren could think to describe tonight's dinner so far was "uncomfortable." Well, it was for her anyways. Bo seemed to love the attention, even though some of them had no idea who she actually was. Mary Dennis never once said, "This is my daughter Beth." She just introduced her by name to the newcomers and didn't even sit next to her at the dinner table. In fact, Lauren had even been moved to sit between two people who never said a word to her and kept giving her sideways "what the hell is she doing here" and "who the hell is this" glances. At least she warranted a seat at the elongated dinner table. When another couple showed up and there was only seat left, she half expected to be asked to leave. Instead, Mary eyed her to probably see if she would get up and offer her seat voluntarily before sighing and going back to find another chair. She was ignored through the entire meal; even Bo had been too occupied with all of the questions to glance at her but a handful of times. Since there was no high chair, Lauren had Briann on her lap throughout the meal. She had been so used to the food already being served on plates during dinner parties that the family style threw her a little. One or two things were passed right over her, too, though she was a little thankful. She wasn't hungry and didn't want to be rude if she had a lot of food on her plate that she didn't eat. Actually, Briann ended up with most of the little bit of mashed potatoes and roast that did end up on her plate. The fact that Briann, a baby, wasn't even thought about was the only thing that really pissed off Lauren about the entire dinner.

Lauren didn't mind the brush off, really, since she had experienced it for so long with her own family and with the fae, but this felt different. This wasn't for her "own good," like her own mother had done to her to make her stronger. This wasn't because she was human in a world of superior creatures who technically owned her. No, this was a stranger. A human whose only thing they had in common was Bo.

Lauren could be thankful for this woman for ensuring that Bo was once loved and raised in a loving, moral-based household, but the indifference to somebody who was supposed to be her daughter made the ignored daughter in her become angry. She remembered seeing those pictures in that album, of her mother smiling and happy. Somehow, this woman, who now doubt once held love in her heart for Bo, was more cold and distant than Angela Lewis. While Mary Dennis did appear to be trying, Lauren could tell that she was trying too hard and that Bo didn't really care, if she even bothered to notice. Through the bond, Lauren could tell that Bo was happy and felt warm being in this place. Her wife was also aware that she was not feeling comfortable or welcome. The discomfort lasted for a few hours until the first car showed up in the driveway. It only became worse after that.

When guests started arriving, they all greeted her cordially, but no matter how many times Bo introduced them as family, Lauren and Briann would be excluded through most of the conversations or pushed aside. She didn't know if this was intentional or just an automatic response to anything Other in the town. The guests were more focused on Beth and her return, and that was actually okay with Lauren. At least they had treated Bo with more genuineness that she was back, unlike Mary who continued with the fake adulation.

Now that dinner was finished, Lauren was stuck off to the side with Briann while Bo and all of the guests sat in the living room and talked. She just did her normal doctor thing and observed the environment, taking extra caution to assess any threats. There really weren't any that she could tell, and for that, she was grateful and a little frustrated. If something were trying to attack them, then she could understand why her emotions were wacky. Bo seemed to be so happy and charming the entire night; it was hard not to smile at seeing how happy and animated she was when retelling stories of her travels, minus the fae details. It was even cute when a little bit of a southern farmer's accent was apparent. Lauren kept that minor detail in her back pocket to save for later; she knew that being back in this place brought out a lot of Bo that she probably didn't even notice had changed since she left.

Bo was telling a story about going undercover as a cage fighter so that she could infiltrate some illegal fighting in the area. Of course, she left out the part where she found a fae boy, who had no idea he was fae and neither did his adopted human father. Lauren actually knew why she was telling that story; it was Bo's way of relating her present identity with her past, since she herself had been adopted by human parents and they had no idea she was fae.

Mel came to sit down beside her on the couch, and Lauren politely smiled, believing she only did so because there weren't any seats left in the inner sanctum of the living room. Bo had mentioned this girl was her best friend in high school, and Lauren found herself extremely curious about what her wife was _really_ like then. She found her natural curiosity surface, believing a large part was because she wanted to document succubus puberty and how humans actually perceive them. It would come in handy if Briann's succubus genes were the ones that took dominance, which seemed extremely likely.

"Hi. Lauren, right?" Mel coughed a little and seemed to be trying to decide what the proper way to sit next to her was. Lauren just nodded, afraid to break her silence. That was years of conditioning if she ever saw it and rolled her eyes in amusement at herself.

"I mean, yes. I'm Lauren." She chuckled lowly but couldn't decide if it was appropriate. "And this is Briann."

"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it." Mel started to chuckle and relax herself, and that caused Lauren to loosen her posture a little. She hadn't realized how stiff she was. "The Beth being back thing; not the you thing."

"Mmm." Lauren chose to believe the woman meant no harm in the statement. She actually did look honestly apologetic and afraid she offended. At least somebody tonight managed to acknowledge who she actually was. Mary had beat Bo to the introductions, so these people really only knew her as Bo's friend from Canada. Briann was just Beth's friend's daughter. Nobody seemed to question it or show much concern, though; they all seemed honed on Bo. "I imagine this is surreal for you."

"I'm just glad to see her again, so I could apologize properly." Mel had spent so many years blaming Bo for Kyle's death, not knowing just how correct she was. When Bo mentioned that someone had told Mel she was in witness protection, Lauren knew it was one of the duo of Dyson and Hale. Their number one priority was to clean up fae business in police investigations so that the One Rule stayed true. Lauren felt sympathy for this girl; she had never really met the human families of fae victims before, and it was quite a reveal for her. No wonder Bo had felt so much guilt about this place; no wonder that guilt drove her to become scared of herself and run whenever she killed again. "How long have you known her?"

"We met at my grandmother's farm, actually, so going on...four years." Lauren smiled in rememberance of how instantly and insanely attracted she had been to Bo. The woman could still make her blush and babble sometimes, just like those first two weeks at Gram's, right before she did something that she now recognized as insanely stupid. Then again, if they hadn't spent that time apart, would they have fallen so easily back into each other like they did, or would the novelty have worn off once they got back to the city? Lauren actually didn't want to know the answer, since the reality now was definitely worth all of the stupid they had done over the years. "She was there working a case, and I was there to help."

"Oh, you're a private eye, too?" Mel's eyes scanned her and her tone showed she obviously was shocked and didn't believe this for a second. Lauren looked down to see her tight jeans and pressed dress shirt. She was definitely not private eye on the outside.

"No, I'm a doctor. I was helping with the medical parts of the case." Lauren actually stiffened again, though she didn't mean to; she had found herself starting to relax and immediately went back on alert when she fully realized it.

"That makes more sense. You don't strike me as the action type." Mel relaxed further into the couch. Briann was asleep across Lauren's lap, so that left Mel at a distance. "I don't mean that in a bad way."

"I know." Lauren genuinely smiled. She was relaxing, and that wasn't good. In response, she scanned her eyes across the room to see Bo was still telling the same story and everyone was paying attention to her. Even Mary seemed to be quietly listening, though Lauren did note that she was more interested in watching her guests than her actual daughter.

"So, she didn't marry Joey Lawrence like she said she would, but she did marry a doctor." Mel smirked as she looked over at the animated Bo. Lauren eyed her guest carefully, not sure what to make of her yet. There was an awkwardness from both parties, but they were there for separate reasons. This trip was only fortifying just how much she loved being and living with and in the fae world. Humans really were pedestrian and boring now. "I'm not surprised, though. Beth always managed to get attention from people, regardless of anything. The old pastor, perv that he was, actually paid a little too close attention to Beth, if you know what I mean. We weren't surprised when he was caught sexing up one of the other church members, despite them both being married to other people. This new pastor is wonderful, though." Mel looked over to eye the man in question, and Lauren could see how the woman probably had a crush on him. Bo would definitely be having a field day if their positions were switched right now. Mel turned her attention back to the actual conversation, and Lauren couldn't suppress her slight smirk. It was the first time she felt welcome all night and like she was actually included. "How long have you been married?"

"About a year now, officially." They had so many different marriage levels that Lauren wasn't sure which one they would need to officially celebrate. Knowing Bo, they would celebrate every one. Knowing herself, she would forget them if she didn't write them into her calendar.

"How old is your little girl? I didn't really get a chance to ask any of this earlier. I wish you were staying longer or that I had known you were in town before today." Mel was now the first person to show genuine sadness _and_ joy at Bo's return. This fact made her feel a little more comfortable being with her. At least this conversation passed the time quicker than just sitting here and staring at her wife being the center of attention.

"She is almost one." Lauren had her hand on Briann's back; it was a move she used to tell just how asleep their little girl was and to also send her love while the little girl was sleeping. Her slow, quiet breathing now told her Briann was still out cold, despite the cacophony surrounding them in this room.

"Just tell me one thing; do you have the white picket fence? Dog in the yard?"

"We actually live on my grandmother's farm. My office is there." Lauren registered that Mel had wished for more time with her old friend and wondered if she was seeking an invitation or trying to assess how safe it was to visit. Lauren was glad for the witness protection lie; it was actually the perfect cover. She didn't think she could put this woman in the line of fae fire, though she wasn't sure how Bo would feel about that. "We have fields surrounded by various fences and all sorts of animals. Does that count?"

"At least she got some variation on that, then. Good." Mel was giving Lauren insight into Bo's dreams as a child, which made her smile at how basic and cliché those dreams were. It had never occurred to her just how much they had become domesticated. They had stopped going out to bars or staying out too late for work. They ate sensible meals as a family. They rarely did anything spontaneous anymore. Lauren could admit how much she missed those aspects of their unconventional relationship, loving just how conventional it had become. It made her confident that Bo would be a great role model for other fae once she was Queen. Fae/human politics were definitely going to change.

Looking down at Briann, she could admit it was time to stop believing that leaving their little girl with a babysitter overnight, in a place where they were not under the same roof, would be okay. If this trip had taught her anything, Lauren knew she wanted and missed the crazy part of her and Bo. She wondered if they would get that when Bo finally announced her title. They had a makeshift family back home that was much better than she ever had, and now, Lauren could see how much Bo needed that family even more.

In all honesty, Lauren thought that what they found here, with Mary Dennis, was much worse than being forgotten or being hated or being randomly shot and chased off the property like thieving coyotes. Instead, Bo was not really cared about anymore. Her wife knew this; she had to know, especially if she had experienced what it had been like to be loved by this woman once upon a time. At least Lauren knew her own mother loved her underneath all of her disdain and brush offs. At least her father was still alive. Bo's family now consisted of a crazy biological mother, a dead, spirited, possibly Satanic biological father, a dead adopted father, and an indifferent adopted mother.

For the first time, Lauren was thankful for her own family, but this only made her want to hold onto and protect Bo and Briann that much more.

* * *

Bo couldn't keep her smile from her face. Sure, Mary had been different; she wasn't stupid, but that could have been because her daughter had been away for fifteen years, presumed missing or dead, even if she and Sam had been the ones to start that rumor with the police. If Briann had done the same to her, Bo wasn't sure how she would honestly react after fifteen years. There was a large part of her that knew that she would fight and find her until her dying breath, but there was a small sliver that was realistic and would have a human experience similar to Mary's. She could only hope it never came to that, and that she and Lauren would be loving and supportive through everything Briann needed or did. Lauren would definitely be the disciplinarian, though. Bo was already putty in their daughter's hands.

Lauren had been quiet all night, and Bo knew a lot of that was because she was ignored. Again, she wasn't stupid, but she had learned to pick her battles. There was no real threat present, and Lauren _seemed_ to be fine. A little hurt, sure, but fine nonetheless. When Bo saw her talking to Mel, she could admit her jealousy flared a bit at the sight, especially when she saw Lauren laugh a bit.

The most overwhelming part of the dinner was the sexual auras that surrounded her. It was strange to discover and actually know that the people who you always thought of as pure and non-sexual were extremely sexual creatures, especially the new pastor at their church. He was middle aged and quite heavily drawn sexually to her, which was not an uncommon response to her succubus magnetism, but it was still strange seeing a preacher shining like a Christmas tree with lust. It was even stranger to see some of the other guests react similarly. She always knew that her dad's old friend Letcher McKellan was aptly named.

Overall, she thought the night went well. She should have known to be more prepared to answer questions and tell stories about her adventures like she was asked repeatedly. After all, Mary had thrown the dinner party together last minute just because of her. Bo was glad to see familiar faces and new ones. She was glad Mel and her parents came, though she didn't really get to talk much to Mel because so many people surrounded her and bombarded her with questions. Lauren filled her in on their conversation, though, and she had to laugh when her wife asked if she was disappointed that she hadn't married Joey Lawrence.

Bo pulled Lauren into an embrace and kissed her stupid; they were always the best types of kisses, too. "What do you think?" was her response after she pulled herself from Lauren's arms so they could finish packing. There was no more talk about Joey Lawrence and only shy, steamy glances across the bed from folding clothes and packing their bags. It was very high school, and Bo loved every second of the quiet temptation.

They only had a few hours sleep before they needed to be on the road, and Bo knew that Briann would be hard to settle on the plane again. While Lauren was a genius at baby soothing techniques, Bo wasn't sure she would have as much luck getting their daughter to laugh instead of cry when they reached 30,000 feet in the air. Therefore, the comfort sex that Lauren was vibing ended up being quick in the shower before they settled in for the night. It only made her hungrier, and she realized just how much she really needed to feed.

When they arrived back in the city, Lauren suggested they stay over at the clubhouse since that extra hour would feel like an extra day after the already long trip. Bo had to agree, as she needed to stretch her legs. They found themselves in their old home, Briann nestled in Alexie's old crib that Bo had carried upstairs. Well, she had pulled it upstairs noisily and with a lot of huffing until Lauren eventually came down to help her, stating that it would have been smarter to just leave it down in Kenzi's old room and turn on the baby monitors. Neither of them were alert enough for sex; at least not the kind that would have counted, so they crashed for the night. Bo felt more at home in this old bed than she did the entire long weekend. She didn't care that this bed wasn't fancy; she didn't care that this bed wasn't as big as the one they used regularly at the farm. This had been her place of rest for years; it had been the first bed she actually owned in over ten years. Instead of just thinking it, she would have to remember to actually thank Kenzi this time for coercing her into whammying the furniture store clerk into giving them a ridiculous, _ridiculous_ discount on this.

Bo was the first to wake. The sun was still not up, and she turned to find it was only five in the morning. Since Lauren had to be back to work today, she knew she should probably think about waking up her wife, but she looked so peaceful, even with the little bit of drool that was falling onto the pillow beside her. This was just another indication of exactly how tired the woman was and only further proved that staying here last night was the right thing to do.

Bo watched her without keeping track of time. Lauren had set her alarm clock on her phone, but that never really meant she would wake when she was out this hard. Now, lying in this bed next to the woman she loved, Bo understood the meaning of joy. She was surprised at just how happy she was; at how much joy she was experiencing in this one quiet moment. It wasn't beautiful; it was ordinary, yet somehow, it was extraordinary. She felt lighter, she felt calmer, and she felt stronger somehow. Even though she felt no guilt at being back home, it was exactly what she needed to happen. She would probably never see Mary Dennis again, and she knew that Lauren was letting her keep the happy memories she had of the woman. Again, Bo wasn't stupid. She could tell Mary didn't love her like she once did. Still, if Mary wanted to pretend, then Bo was going to pretend along with her. This was one of those small deceptions she was going to allow herself, and Lauren was going to allow it, too; at least for now. She was only going to remember the love she once felt instead of the detached emotions this past trip. It only helped her feel better about moving on and finding happiness; in finding this surprising joy in this quiet moment before dawn.

There were a lot of things they would have to deal with eventually, but for now, Bo was just happy and wanted to stay that way a little longer. She didn't know when she had drifted back to sleep, but she was startled awake when something had crashed on the floor. She chuckled when she realized Lauren had forgotten they had moved the armoire last time they were here. It was still dark, so she must have smacked into it when she was going to the bathroom.

"You okay?" Bo chuckled as she sat up and tried to adjust her eyes to allow for what little she could see in the room. "What time is it?"

"A little after six." Lauren turned on her phone to show Bo, which illuminated the room a little. "Go back to sleep. If you want, you can spend the morning in the city. I'll go see Lachlan and run by Evony's office and do a quick run down with them. My first patient shouldn't be until this afternoon."

"Only if you get back in bed right now." Bo pushed the sheets off of her body a little, actually surprised she was still somewhat dressed. They had slept naked the past few nights, so it felt strange being in clothes again. "You know Evony parties hard all night; she won't be up until at least 9, and then, she won't be ready for company or meetings until at least 11. Come back to bed."

"Let me just relieve myself first. I didn't realize how much water I drank on the flight and on the layover." Lauren had been quite the fish, though she did usually drink a seemingly excessive amount of water. There were times when Bo would order a pitcher of water for the table just for that purpose, so the server wouldn't spend so much time running back to their table for refills. When Bo asked about it, Lauren had explained that she was just always thirsty and it wasn't unhealthy, since it meant her system was flushed and clean. Since she didn't drink soda and rarely drank coffee or alcohol, Lauren was quite the adorable health nut, even in her quirkier habits.

"Well, hurry before your side of the bed gets cold." Bo patted the empty side so the sound could indicate what she was doing, since it was hard to see her trying to be seductive.

"Bo, you run hot enough to keep the entire bed warm. I won't be but a minute." Lauren's smirk could be heard in the dark, and Bo audibly sighed in lustful response.

"You think I'm hot, huh?"

"Don't use that sexy tone if you want to actually get any sleep." Lauren had gradually started to burn hotter and hotter since the word "bed" was first mentioned. Now that sex was implied, the woman was going off the charts. Bo's eyes flashed, and she could see her wife's aura and shape clearly in the dark.

"Well, since you brought it up, we have been in bed for seven hours." Bo had been winning some arguments with her logic lately, so she was going to see if the streak would stay. "That's surely enough sleep. Briann will be up in a few hours; we should take advantage."

"Only if we move from this room. There is no partition here to block her, and I have a feeling one or the both of us is going to be quite…vocal." Lauren could seduce her just with the sound of her voice and with that enticingly addictive aura. Bo didn't need to see her to know that her eyebrow was arched or that her body posture was open and inviting.

"Are you suggesting what I think you are?" Bo bit her lip, trying to keep herself from pouncing right there.

"That depends."

"On?"

"On how fast you can set up the baby monitor in here while I use the restroom."

"Oh, consider it done, woman." Bo threw the covers back and didn't even care that her feet thudded a bit when they landed on the floor.

Lauren's soft chuckle disappeared from hearing range as Bo found herself moving a little faster than was probably necessary down the stairs to grab the monitor from Kenzi's old room. When she got back to the room, she heard Lauren brushing her teeth while she plugged in the monitor and turned them on. Thank goodness the batteries didn't need to be changed; she would have cursed the potential sex gods if that had happened.

Bo rushed in to brush her teeth, too. If Lauren was going to be minty fresh, she should return the favor. She could see how grateful Lauren was for this small gesture before she was yanked from the bathroom and they found themselves stripping as they practically fell down the stairs. Bo didn't mean to push the woman into the wall in the middle of the stairway, but she found she couldn't wait. Her hunger was increasing, and she realized she actually hadn't fed much lately. She only took minimal chi from Lauren back at the hotel, and she was due for a suppressant shot today. It was wearing off; that was why. It was odd for Lauren to forget this detail, or at least not mention or talk about it when she decided to stay in the city last night instead of going home.

When she heard Lauren squeak, Bo suspected this was intentional. The succubus hunger was stronger than it had been in a while, and Lauren was freely being sexual and openly aggressive and initiative about sex again. Had she finally gotten over the baby blues? Had she finally figured that she could be both an extremely sexual woman and a mother? Bo didn't care the cause, as long as Lauren kept up with this. She was beginning to feel spoiled again.

"Fuck, Lauren." Bo was surprised at how aggressive her wife was being. She had been the one to push them over to the couch, but Lauren was the one who was taking the lead. It had been quite some time since Lauren had topped her so territorially. Bo's eyes flashed in response and allowed the woman to truly and utterly devour her. Bo couldn't wait to get her own hands and mouth on Lauren's body, but she found she wasn't being given the chance. Even once Bo climaxed and bit slightly into Lauren's shoulder, the woman kept going. She kept up her ministrations and the succubus found herself surprised by joy yet again. What made this particular coupling so deliciously irresistible is just how needy and loving Lauren was about touching her. It was as though they hadn't touched in months. Granted, they had sex just two nights ago, but there was nothing phenomenal about it beyond a quickened expression of love and lust; they both knew that. It had been hurried and necessary just so they could sleep that night without letting the sexual tension overflow for the long trip home. It had been a need to let the other know they were really there and together.

This, however, was much different.

This was pure passion; this was succubus fuel. Bo found herself feeding without Lauren's mouth even touching hers. When the woman realized what was happening, she came up to kiss Bo fully on the mouth, seemingly pushing her chi more and more into her, even as she continued her ministrations. That needy passion was so intoxicating, so delicious; the love that came with it was the perfect complement to her meal.

Bo didn't realize just how much she missed this couch. Even though she and Kenzi had agreed to no sex in the common areas, and she _had_ followed the rule until Lauren came along, Bo was so glad that Kenzi wasn't here to yell at them for violating the rules. Or to walk in on them again; one good thing about having separating families and living in different sections of a rather large house was that accidental "drive by bonking," as Kenzi referred to her many walk ins and sexual interruptions, were almost non existent anymore.

When Bo felt another orgasm sigh its release, she felt overly full and knew the exact moment to pounce to ensure Lauren was thoroughly rewarded for her offering. They kept at it, back and forth, until they fell onto each other, laughing and sated, sweaty messes. This entire living area had a strong sex and sweat odor now; it was like perfume to Bo. The smell of Lauren after she orgasmed was so intense that Bo knew she would never forget that smell, even after her wife was gone. It was the thing that was going to keep her happy and complete until her own death. Well, her final death. They really did need to start looking into why she managed to reanimate this time and see if it would happen again. Bo wasn't entirely ready to take any chances, though.

After resting a while, letting their heartbeats find a normal rhythm again, they got up to shower before Briann woke for the day. This morning only proved just how much they needed more of this if they were going to figure out a way to make their marriage last for possibly centuries. Domestic bliss was nice and all, but Bo needed that passion. She needed the crazy; she needed the weird. It was actually a good time to start talking Lauren into trying some new positions and doing some things out of her comfort zone. Pleasure was in Bo's DNA, and she wanted to share as much of her natural abilities and her own insatiable curiosity with the woman she was going to spend her life with. She was glad they never got rid of the clubhouse; it was going to come in a lot more handy from here on out. It was time they stopped being so overprotective of Briann. They had a great support system, so why not use it?

When they were getting dressed, Bo couldn't help burying her fingers into sensitive areas and hearing Lauren yelp in shock and lust from the assault. Lauren was too sensitive, Bo could tell, but she still let her go for it and take a little more chi. Now, Bo was just being greedy, and she would die a happy, sinful, gluttonous mess in this moment.

Lauren left to meet with Lachlan before she met with Evony, since he was an early bird. It was almost eight and Briann would be up soon, but Lauren said that if she didn't leave, she would never leave and wouldn't care about what punishment came her way when she missed all of her appointments this afternoon. She was coming to get her after her meeting with Evony, even if Bo tried to talk Lauren into letting her attend that meeting. There was still a residual jealousy there that the woman had her wife first. It only made Bo want to go again; she felt like a teenager in heat. Still, she let the doctor go, albeit with a pout on her face. They would have more time for these moments now; Bo would make sure of it.

Before she left, Lauren suggested Bo have lunch with Trick, who they both knew would love to see them, even if unannounced. They were going to meet at the Dal later after Lauren's meetings before they went back to the farm.

Once Lauren was out the door, Bo knew Briann would be asleep a little bit longer, so she just laid in the bed, content and happy. She really did feel like a teenage girl in love sometimes, though she much preferred the mature person she was now. How could such a reserved, quiet woman still bring that out in her? Bo decided that was one thing she no longer cared about, just as long as it continued to happen.


	18. I Once Was Lost, but Now I'm Found

Even the overly stressful meetings with Lachlan and Evony couldn't remove the inner happiness that Lauren knew she was exuding. Lachlan was the easier of the two meetings, since he was all business and "what do you have to report." He didn't ask about her trip or why she was smiling so much, even when she related the bad news about some of her patients. Instead, the Ash just seemed like he was meeting with any other person in his employee and not his sister-in-law. His detachment was more distracted than anything, though. Even if he did still piss her off a lot, she was still concerned about him.

She hadn't been to meetings with the Elders lately, mostly because of Bo's death and her busy schedule at the farm. The Old Ash used to require her be to every meeting for an update on the medical facilities and research being done at the compound. Lachlan never had required her to be at every meeting, and her attendance to them just seemed to be shorter and shorter. Much like this meeting with him today.

Evony was a different story, though.

The Morrigan couldn't help her flirtatious remarks, possibly in response to the aura that Lauren was radiating. Still, nothing could ruin her mood; not even when she said"whenever you're ready for a third, I'll put it on my calendar." She could sense that her wife was craving more of the crazy in their sex life, but threesomes were something way far away in Lauren's mind. She couldn't say she never thought about it; there was a dream once where Bo fought actress Thandie Newton for Lauren's affections and they all decided to just share. The idea of a threesome with the Morrigan, though, and the fact that she treated it like another appointment, had made Lauren chuckle lightly under her breath. Luckily, Evony chose to ignore that response and they got down to actual business. The doctor in her was happy to report mostly good things to the Dark today.

When she left for the Dal, Lauren felt hungry and called Bo to have something for her when she got there, anything not greasy or fried. After the trip to the small farm town, Lauren would be okay with never seeing fried anything again. It was okay every once in a while, but everyday was a little much and not good on the arteries or cholesterol. Thank goodness for a succubus's natural metabolism or Bo may have serious health problems now from eating like she did growing up. Lauren wanted to be a good role model for Briann, and that included a healthy diet and exercise. Granted, she had been slacking on the exercise. Her morning yoga routine had been sporadic lately, and she hadn't been taking breaks at work to run on the treadmill as often anymore. She really should consider getting back into the habit.

When she entered into the Dal, she saw Bo sitting at the bar, talking to Trick with Briann sitting on the bartop between them. He was smiling and playing with the little girl, and she was laughing loud enough, big smile on her face, that Lauren could hear her as soon as she walked in the door. They really did need to visit Trick more often.

There weren't many people here, but it was still early in the day, so that wasn't surprising. The few that were here were scattered across the room in various sitting positions, either working on various electronic devices or reading books. At least all of them had drinks, so they weren't just loitering in the bar. Trick was actually making some money from his patrons today; unlike his granddaughter, who obviously was mooching, if the food and drink spread was any indication.

Lauren sat down and kissed Bo's cheek. Even with Trick there, she couldn't help the habitual greeting. It had just become second nature to kiss Bo when she came in the door. This time, she did, however, blush when her wife's grandfather gave her the knowing grin. Surely he didn't know what they had done this morning. Bo just smirked at her in response and Lauren immediately picked up Bo's perspiring glass of water to hide her blush and quench her suddenly dry throat.

"Hey, babe." Bo moved one of her arms away from Briann to squeeze Lauren's upper thigh in greeting, which only caused her blush to deepen. Trick sent his casual hello before moving to pour more water into Bo's glass and pour her a new one. "How were your meetings?"

"Not that exciting, actually." Lauren smiled her thanks at Trick, who only nodded in response.

"You sure about that? There was a moment there I thought you were going to explode." Of course Bo would have sensed that; of all things, she would pick up on the nanosecond when Lauren thought about sex.

"Nothing worth mentioning. Let me put it that way." Lauren didn't even want to voice the threesome idea yet. They could laugh about it later when not within earshot of the Blood King, and when she was sure Bo would laugh with her. That meant talking about it when sex wasn't on their brains; mentioning it casually in passing was the only way she knew to prevent her wife from liking the idea. Okay, so it was more likely to prevent it; this was Bo, who had experienced her fair share of threesomes in the past. Would she be so prone to them now? Honestly, Lauren didn't think Bo would be too keen on sharing her with others, so maybe she was safe for now. "We should probably leave after lunch so that I can get back in time for my first appointment. Lachlan isn't too happy there were two Light fae deaths last week, though he did recognize they weren't my fault, so yay on that."

"Well, it's not like you didn't warn them. If they chose not to listen to their doctor, that's on them. I know you're always bummed out when you lost a patient, but maybe this will cause more fae to actually listen to you." Bo pulled a mini pretzel from her plate and seemed to swallow it without chewing. Apparently, she wasn't that great at listening to the doctor on how not to choke. Then again, Bo lived her life dangerously. Why would her eating habits be any different?

"I highly doubt that. They don't even listen to fae doctors." Trick chuckled, and it was strange to hear him laugh. It didn't happen often, but when it did, it was infectious. "Have you decided what to do about your brother and sisters yet?"

"Oh, wow, Trick. Tact much?" Bo looked startled, though Trick just shrugged. "I said ease her into the conversation; not throw her to the wolves."

"My brother and sisters?" Lauren was surprised it took this long to get into heavy topics. Maybe this was why they didn't go to the Dal much anymore; they couldn't avoid things if they were around Trick. He would never let them. There was something about him that made you always want to get down to business. Lauren suspected it was the royal fae power he still had, even if he didn't use it. Maybe it built up, like a dam, and it just leaked out. It must make for getting things done a whole lot easier.

"Now that you have the formula ready, have you considered when or how you'll be administering it to them?" Trick was obviously taking some cues from Bo, which was obvious from the way he kept looking over at her while addressing Lauren. It seemed funny to think that he was following orders from his granddaughter.

"It's just…I know you were thinking about doing it before the whole me dying thing, and now that that crisis is averted, we should seriously start thinking about it. I'm sure they'll be more than happy to know they can be themselves again." Bo pulled Briann from the bartop to sit in her lap. She probably thought using their daughter as a shield was the ultimate protection in case Lauren was mad at her for bringing up the topic.

"I…well, I haven't really thought about it lately, to be honest." Lauren had figured that formula out months ago, and the only ones that knew were the people at the farm, Evony, and Lachlan. Bo never had a chance to inform any of the Elders that she had succeeded. She was surprised that Roger hadn't called, since she was sure Gram would have at least hinted something to him. She learned that her brother was great at Gram speak; probably because he had grown up knowing he was fae and could decipher the cryptic better. Lauren was learning, though. "We should invite Roger and Kat over for dinner this week. I can have it ready to go, surprise them with it. I'll call Maureen; I don't think she's visiting for another month, but I can send her a batch or send her husband the formula so he can administer it."

"And Hadley?" This was what Bo really wanted to know. Her biggest tell was how casually she said it, choosing to look and play with the straw in her glass instead of making eye contact.

"Well, I don't know where she is, but…it's not impossible to find her." Lauren cleared her throat and sent a meaningful glance toward Trick. "We should find Aoife, too."

"Unfortunately, there is nothing to find." Trick looked so sad, and Lauren had a feeling she knew where this was going. She had suspected as much after a conversation with Gram, but she never thought much on it since she had her hands full of an insane wife. "After living so long as fae, we tend to forget or not realize just how mortal humans are."

"My mom is dead?" Bo's voice cracked, the emotion in her eyes revealing just how sad she was at this revelation. "Gram said she was safe."

"Maggie wasn't wrong. She was safe, but like I said, not all fae are good at listening to a doctor's orders."

"When did this happen? Why didn't anybody tell me?" Bo showed more emotion in this moment than she did the entire weekend with Mary Dennis. She didn't even know her biological mother that well, but Lauren could tell how much this news affected her wife. She pictured hearing her own parents had died and realized, even with the coldness she felt from them, she didn't like the idea. These thoughts and seeing Bo break down made her forget where they were. She scooted her stool as close as possible and wrapped her arm around Bo's shoulder. Lauren offered her other hand to Briann, who gripped her fingers.

"It happened about a month and a half ago; around the same time you died, actually. I thought there might be a connection; I even thought she was the one who had saved you, but…she was still where we left her." Trick looked up to wave at someone, but his eyes were panicked. Lauren turned to see who had entered the bar, and she felt like she was going to faint. Standing there, staring right at them, were Dyson and Emily. Bo turned to see what had triggered the sudden overwhelmed responses.

"Oh, of course this would happen right now." Bo violently wiped her face. She hadn't started crying, but she looked like she might. Even if she had accepted it, her death was still raw. Instead, she toughened up and cursed under breath. Lauren could tell she turned toward her, but she was too busy staring at the couple walking toward them. Emily was still highly attractive, and she felt guilty for recognizing that when Bo was sitting so close to her. Lauren wasn't aroused by any means, and she knew she would eventually meet her again now that Dyson was dating her, but Lauren felt unprepared for her reaction. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Lauren knew she was lying, and so did Bo, but she refused to let it show on her. She felt herself fold in her emotions and put up her reserves. Yet, the closer they got, the faster Lauren felt her heart race. She knew her cheeks were flushed, but she refused to outwardly show she was being affected by this meeting so she did not turn around or hide. Bo was her inspiration here. They had just spent a weekend throwing themselves into Bo's past; it was time for her to face some of hers head on, too, even if a little warning would have been nice.

"Hello, Lauren. I was beginning to think you were hiding from me." Emily still had that ridiculously cocky smirk across her ruby-painted lips. Her curly dark hair was still pulled tight back into a ponytail, and she looked like she had just come from guard duty at the compound. The tight white uniform shirt contrasted with her olive skin, and she still had that air of danger to her stance. Lauren found she couldn't say anything; she was afraid of what her voice would sound like. She had spent so many years hating this woman for doing what she did, and now, she only felt the regret at allowing someone to break her so easily. "I knew you had heard I was back in your circle again; I'm surprised it took this long."

"So, I'm Bo, Lauren's wife." Bo held out her hand, physically putting her body more in front of Lauren, but Emily just cocked an eyebrow in amusement. This caused Bo to drop her hand and tense up a bit; Lauren could tell Bo felt slightly threatened.

"I know. We've met." She turned her attention back to Lauren, who really wished she hadn't. Those dark green eyes used to look at her with such a mixture of passion and contempt, and that hadn't changed in the almost nine years they hadn't seen each other. "You look different than what I last remember, but you're still the prettiest human I've ever seen."

"Bo. Lauren." Dyson looked at Lauren, his eyes slanted and voice deep in greeting. It almost sounded like he growled lowly in warning. Lauren moved her attention to his face, noting how tired and thin he looked. "How was your trip to the states?"

"Great. We had a lot of sex. Lauren's really the best lover ever." Bo's natural predator came out in her voice, and her eyes even flashed that deep warning azure.

"Bo!" Lauren finally found her voice and scolded her for the territorial war that seemed to be happening around her. "Geez."

"From what I recall, she was quite adept with her hands and mouth." Emily narrowed her eyes, almost seeming to challenge Bo.

"Emily!" Dyson did full on growl this time. There was no mistaking that. "We'll leave."

"This is a place of peace. You take this outside." Trick stood behind the bar, sounding every bit as authoritative as he actually was. That dormant power definitely showed now.

"No need. I have to go to work. You can stay." Lauren stood and picked up Briann from her wife. If Bo was going to do something stupid, she didn't want her to forget their daughter was on her lap. Stupid succubus predator shit. Sometimes, it came out unnecessarily and frustrated the hell out of her.

"We just got here. Do you have to leave so soon?" Emily was not her enemy. Lauren had to remember that. She was just a girl who had coerced her into feeling something false because it was what she needed to believe at the time. She was just a girl who had preyed on the vulnerable and discarded her when she was bored. She was just a girl who had caused her to understand exactly what being owned by the Light fae truly meant. "It's been so long. No reunion hug or fuck? You used to not be able to resist me, even when you were crying from a broken heart."

"That's enough!" Trick was more leader than grandfather-in-law right now, but Lauren did nod her approval and thanks at him before gathering her things. She didn't even care that her lunch had gone mostly untouched. After learning about Bo's mother dying and having to deal with Emily and Dyson, Lauren lost her appetite. "Bo, Lauren, we can talk more later, if you want. Bring that little girl by more often, okay?"

"Of course, Trick." Bo stood from her seat but never lost her challenging and threatening eye contact with Emily.

Lauren quickly shouldered the diaper bag and hugged Briann a little tighter than was necessary as she made a hasty exit to the car. She knew Bo would follow. As calmly as she could, Lauren buckled in Briann and tossed the diaper bag on the floorboard. She was holding back her tears, which were triggered from anger. She was mad at herself for still letting the woman get to her. She was mad that this was how it had happened. She was grossly underprepared for it; she had let her guard down again because she was so freakishly happy. Bo was right; of course this would happen today. There was never a dull moment.

She sat in the driver's seat and buckled in out of habit before allowing herself to push her head down on the steering wheel and take deep breaths. She heard and sensed Bo outside the car before she opened the door and sat down in the passenger seat.

"Are you okay?" At least Bo lost the predatory tone in her voice, as she shut the door and buckled her seatbelt. Lauren looked up at her, still trying to hide her emotions in her physical features but well aware she was failing at the moment. "Sorry."

"No, you don't need to apologize." Lauren pushed out a deep breath and turned to smile at Bo, even if they both knew it was forced. Bo just gave her that knowing smirk. "Okay, apology accepted. I just…argh."

"Too much, too fast, I know." Bo didn't even get a chance to fully process her mother being dead. This thought really made Lauren want to call her mom and apologize for hating her. She wanted to call her and tell her she understood why she did what she did. She wanted to make amends with her own mother after seeing the indifference in Bo's adopted mom and learning about the death of Bo's biological mother. She only had the one to lose, and she didn't realize how scary that was until this moment. "Let's just go home, okay? We'll deal; we always do. Just take a deep breath. Do you need me to drive?"

Lauren shook her head lightly before taking another deep breath and starting the car. The last thing her nerves needed was to hold onto the "oh shit" handle throughout the entire drive because Bo wasn't able to separate herself from her emotions. Lauren was; again, she needed to call and thank her mother for teaching her that skill.

"No, you don't get to shut yourself off just because some psycho bitch ex of yours shows up. She has nothing over you anymore, Lauren. It was just unexpected, and I'll yell at Dyson later for even letting it happen." Bo sounded so confident and sure. Lauren rolled her eyes and smiled at her wife. "I love you, and I won't let this girl or the fact that my mom is dead ruin our good day. It started out awesome; let's remember that instead, okay?"

Again, Lauren nodded before turning back to put the gear in drive. The trip back to the farm seemed to happen on autopilot. Briann went down for a nap before they got out of the city, and Bo was busy texting, probably Kenzi to let her know they were on their way and telling her about what just happened so she would be prepared for their arrival. She knew better than to have that phone conversation in the car right now.

As she continued driving, Lauren decided that meeting Emily was going to be necessary, but she would do it on her own terms. If she was going to be part of their lives, then Lauren could be the bigger person and show hospitality. Bo was right; they should remember how the day started. After all, she slept with the Morrigan before, and she had a professional relationship with her now. She had been in a relationship with Nadia and had become good, chaste friends. Surely, she could find some common ground with Emily. For now, Lauren just wanted to focus on the happy, no matter how much the memories with Emily were flooding in on her the more she dwelled on the past.

When they settled back home, they would definitely be going through those other two boxes. It was time. It was time to reveal and purge the past. It was time to get through everything so they could be happy. It was time to be strong and prove that she was going to be a worthy queen beside Bo.


	19. Reborn This Way

Bo looked over at the dinner table's patrons. She didn't really expect Lauren to call Roger and have him over so soon, but the doctor in her explained that the sooner they administered the formula the better, especially considering they had no knowledge of human test subjects. Lauren mentioned that they did some trials on rats, but fae biology was so complex that simple rat test subjects just would not suffice. Lachlan had commanded several underfae rat creatures to help with the tests, but Lauren refused to take away someone's fae again when she had no 100% guarantee they would get it back.

One thing that did surprise Bo was that Lauren just sent the samples to Maureen instead of waiting until her youngest sister came to visit. She apparently thought better of sending the formula completely to Maureen's husband and was actually surprised when she realized she had even considered it. Bo suggested they could take another family vacation to Southern California to see them, but Lauren said it was rude to invite themselves. Neither really mentioned that they had just invited themselves to Mary Dennis's house last week, even if they didn't stay with her. Plus, they still had to plan for the trip after Briann's birthday. This time, they were taking Vex with them as backup. He was strong, and for some reason, Bo actually liked having him there, even if she had to convince Lauren his presence was necessary.

After seeing Dyson and Emily, Lauren seemed to come alive with all of this ridiculous energy. When they got home, Lauren had gone right to work, but when dinner was finished that night and Briann was tucked into bed, her wife insisted they go through those other two boxes. After opening them, Bo wished there were more boxes. The same thing happened as before; Lauren opened up and told random stories about her childhood and her feelings. There were pictures, awards, and the occasional item. Bo's favorite was Lauren's old James Dean jacket, which she promptly requested her wife model for her. She was only mildly shocked when Lauren disappeared into the bathroom but was pleasantly rewarded when the quietly passionate doctor came out wearing nothing but the jacket. Oh, how that was a delicious night.

One thing Bo did mind was how sexual Lauren had become again. She didn't mind that in the least. Bo didn't think she'd ever complain about that.

Of course, she had to deal with her mother's death, and she finally decided that returning ever again to see Mary Dennis was unnecessary. Briann's only living grandmother was Angela Lewis now. Even if she was bat shit crazy, Bo wished that her mother could have met her granddaughter at least once before she died. The details were still secretive, regardless of how many times she called Lachlan for more details. Honestly, he was easier to break than Gram or Trick. Bo wasn't really surprised at how little she felt about Aoife's death, though. They had only met briefly, and when they did, they weren't exactly on the best of terms. When she thought she was Saskia, Bo had caught her sleeping with Dyson, probably thinking it would bother her. She had no way of knowing that she had been finished with Dyson for some time or that she had already met and fallen for Lauren. The thought of Saskia/Aoife going after Lauren actually made Bo's blood boil and heart race, and she was glad that they didn't actually reconnect until the other succubus was revealed as her mother and was already in movement of her big plans. She could forgive her mother for sleeping with Dyson, but if she ever even thought about laying a finger on Lauren, Bo wouldn't have given her the chance to be de-faed.

She felt her eyes flash and closed them to rein in her emotions. When she opened them, Kenzi was looking at her concerned and Lauren placed a stealthy hand on her knee for comfort. It actually helped.

"So, now that Roger is going to be 100% himself again, I feel like we should celebrate." Gram was the happiest about this dinner, it seemed. She cooked all of Roger's favorite foods, even though Lauren couldn't stand the taste of asparagus. Bo didn't mind it, but it wasn't her favorite by any means. Luckily, dinner was late, so they had already put Briann down for the night. This allowed Lauren to not feel so guilty, Bo could tell, or to feel like a bad mother for not eating the green vegetables on her plate. Bo didn't eat them because she rarely got away with not eating her greens herself; if Lauren wasn't, then she could just argue that point. So much for being a good example on eating healthy. In retrospect, their pee wouldn't smell funny, so that was a plus.

"What do you suggest?" Kat had handed Lauren a gift when they came into the kitchen earlier, but Lauren hadn't opened it yet. Bo could admit she was curious what was inside. She really needed to stop being so nosy about her wife's things. Next thing she knew, she would be steam-opening Lauren's mail because she couldn't wait. Maybe it was because she was rarely given gifts; she knew it had nothing to do with trust. She trusted Lauren; that was a given. Maybe it was because Nadia was the worst about sending Lauren gifts; maybe because those gifts weren't always friend-appropriate.

"I have a great vintage saved for a special occasion. Toasting to my granddaughter's brilliance and the return of my grandchildren to their natural states is definitely a special occasion." Gram exited the room, and it was the first time they had been alone all night without the woman. She seemed more animated and excited than usual. Bo was glad to see the older woman so happy.

"So…back to fae, huh?" Bo looked at Roger, but it was Kat's stare that really unnerved her. She didn't know why she was so nervous about this dinner. She had actually found civility with Lauren's brother. "I'll bet you're super stoked."

"Well, the effects won't take complete hold for awhile, but for all intents and purposes, Roger is fae again, yes." Lauren took a sip of her water, acting like this was just another family dinner. How was the doctor not excited right now? She had just accomplished something so huge. Okay, so it was the results of something she had created before and needed, or rather wanted, to fix. Still, how could she not be bouncing? Kenzi was even bouncing a little, even though that was probably more from her thorough enjoyment of the coconut cream pie she was currently devouring unattractively. And her friend wondered why guys didn't hit on her more often.

"Have you managed to locate Hadley yet?" Kat dabbed her mouth with her cloth napkin before placing it across her plate. She had at least managed to eat most of her asparagus. The only one who seemed to like it was Roger. "If you need assistance, I will be more than happy to lend my expertise."

"Osprey are great at finding prey. Their tracking skills are comparable to that of a Boraro." Lauren had promised to start teaching Bo about all of the different fae and the politics that came with them. For now, though, she was still the go to for fae knowledge.

"Good. That saves me from calling up Woods." Bo cleared her throat, trying to hide her uncomfortable chuckle. "I'm not really up for more pervy backwoods commentary. Granted, I still owe him a night of drinks from losing that bet."

"You made a bet with a Boraro?" Roger chuckled openly. Since Lauren had taken him to the lab first thing after they arrived, he had come back inside extremely happy. He had even openly hugged his children before sending them to the living room to watch cartoons, since the boys ate their dinner while Gram prepared dinner for the adults. She loved her great grandchildren, but she really had planned this late weekend dinner just so that they could spend time as adults. "You'll never be able to escape that debt."

"I hadn't planned on it. I just…I have to be prepared to deal with Woods for an entire evening. At least Sadie didn't win that bet; that would have been much, much worse." Bo felt the tension in her body loosen a little. If Roger was going to be more open with his posture, then she could be, too. The Lewis siblings were notorious for their sophisticated stiffness, but this evening had proved to be a welcome change. Regardless, she wasn't exactly ready to make this a regular thing. "Yes, Kat, I would love the help."

"Good. You can show me what you have after dinner. We'll probably have her found within the next two days at the latest." Kat rubbed her hands together, her eyes flashing purple, in what Bo suspected was some form of exhilaration at hunting. She knew the feeling. "She couldn't possibly be that good at hiding."

"I wasn't kidding about the amazing tracking skills." Lauren leaned a little to her and lowered her voice, though she was smiling and could be heard by everyone. Bo just rolled her eyes at how cute her wife was sometimes.

"You do realize that once Maureen is fae again, she probably won't visit but once a year?" Roger was addressing Lauren, and Bo didn't know enough about them to really understand what that meant. She knew that Lauren loved her baby sister more than anything; the young girl was the reason Lauren had become enslaved to the Light in the first place, but she had visited at least every quarter these past few years. Would she really go back to the old Maureen, abandoning her family, even now that Lauren was back in the picture?

"I'm aware that it's a possibility." Lauren steeled her jaw and raised her chin. This was her "bad ass" move, and Bo couldn't help but respond to the intensity in her eyes. She was hiding her emotions externally, and Bo was the only one who could tell she was actually sad about this prospect. Watching her wife only let her in on the secret was always so intoxicating.

"I grabbed four bottles since there are six of us. I know Kenzi can down a bottle herself." Gram came in the door, carrying a small cloth bag in one hand and the corkscrew in the other. Bo wasn't surprised that Kenzi jumped to help her. Technically, right now, the humans and fae at this table were equal. Tomorrow, Roger would be fully fae again. The equality and acceptance did not go unnoticed by Bo, and she only had more fuel for when she became Queen. She knew she would have to think more politically like this, so she was practicing now.

Gram cracked open two bottles and went ahead and handed Kenzi one. Bo chuckled at her best friend's enthusiasm; maybe they would have to keep a close eye on Kenzi's liver after all. If Lauren could return her massive sex drive after having a baby, then there was no doubt Kenzi could revive her massive drinking problem.

They enjoyed each other's company for the rest of the evening, even if Lauren was quiet. Bo had come to know this was just her wife's personality and conditioning. Even with a room full of family, Lauren would only comment occasionally and when necessary. There was no doubt she was fully aware that she would soon be the only non-fae member of her family, minus her dad. Yet, there was no malice, no frustration, and no sadness that Bo could read. Lauren seemed to be excited, too. Maybe not as much as Gram or Roger, but she was excited. Bo was surprised at this; she half expected some disconnection to happen, especially since this ensured she would stay enslaved for her entire life. Instead, Lauren was happy, and a happy Lauren made for a happy Bo.

Roger, Kat, and the boys retired a little before midnight. Nobody had been paying attention to the time, and Bo hadn't been paying much attention to the fact that this was the first truly enjoyable family dinner she had attended in this house. Gram was the only one feeding, but she seemed to be dispersing it through everyone in the room, even Kenzi. The thought that Kenzi was considered family by Gram only made Bo understand the intense role that her best friend played in their lives. She was glad that they were so easily accepted now. After learning about her mother's death and accepting that Mary Dennis was a lost cause, Bo felt good about being surrounded by those that she considered her actual family.

Gram had been the one to help Kenzi to her room, and Bo and Lauren went to check on Briann one last time before retiring for the night themselves. Even though it was past midnight, Lauren decided that running a bath was a good idea. Bo didn't complain and instead bit her lip in anticipation because she read exactly what that meant.

She loved what that meant.

Oh, how this woman really was her one.

Bo did not complain when Lauren added the bubbles or lit the candles. It was rare that Lauren did something so clichéd cheesy romantic, so she was more than happy to shut up and let her do it. They just stayed there in the tub, soaking up the bubbles and each other's company. Bo couldn't hide her smile, and she could tell that the intensity she felt from her wife was just as strong.

Nothing could have prepared Bo for the conversation Lauren brought up, even as she gloriously ran a seductive hand down Bo's arms.

"I want more kids." Lauren was behind her, running her fingertips along Bo's arm. Bo couldn't tell if her goosebumps were from the reveal or from the ministrations.

"More kids?" Bo took a deep breath before turning in her wife's embrace, not caring that a little water sloshed onto the ground outside the tub from her movements. "You want more kids?"

"I do. I just don't know if…if I can go through that again." Lauren cleared her throat, probably sensing the tension she surfaced in Bo. "I do want more children with you. You're a great mother, and I don't say that enough."

"So are you. You're an amazing mother." Bo wanted to smile but stayed calm and allowed Lauren this moment. Bo knew she wanted several children with Lauren; she wanted to share that for years to come. Lauren was such a great partner and a great mother; who wouldn't want that?

"I'm not saying let's get started right away, or that it's something that will actually happen. I just wanted you to know." Lauren cleared her throat and touched her fingertips to the back of her neck. This was how Bo knew how hard this was for her wife to admit. "I loved being pregnant; it was actually quite an enjoyable feeling, but giving birth? That wasn't normal, and I think it's time I tell you why."

"I felt it, Lauren. I know how painful it was. I passed out, remember?" Bo took the opportunity to clear her own throat. She had missed the birth of her daughter because she had wussed out from feeling Lauren's blinding pain. She didn't want her wife to ever have to go through that again; she never wanted Lauren to hurt in any way.

"I shouldn't have survived, Bo. I was near death, and I know this is probably the worst timing ever to talk about this what with you dying a little over a month ago and just finding out about Aoife, but…life's too short. I need to tell you this." Lauren pulled the drain plug. So much for a sexy times bath. The renewed honeymoon phase was bound to end eventually; at least Bo knew when it was this time instead of struggling to hold onto it. "I always wanted children but never really pictured it as much of a reality. Nadia and I talked about it briefly once, but that's the only time I ever even voiced my thoughts about family."

"Well, Briann is perfect. If she's all we can have, then that's more than enough." Bo felt her heartbeat start to rush and not because Lauren was completely nude and bubbly as she stepped out of the tub.

"But what if something happens to her? What if we can't protect her from everything?" Lauren wrapped a towel around her body after drying off lightly, not missing a moment of eye contact. Bo just sat in the tub as the water slowly left her behind. "I'm scared, Bo."

"I know; I am, too, but we'll do the best we can, and I'm not going to do anything on the queen thing until we know for absolute sure that Briann is old enough to fight for herself, even with us still protecting her." Bo broke eye contact to watch the last of the water drain down the tub. All that was left was her and some residual bubbles. "You want more children. I get it. I always dreamed about the white picket fence, two kids, and dog in the yard, but things change, and I'm okay with that as long as you and I are in this together. Okay?"

"Okay." Lauren took a deep breath, but Bo noticed that she wasn't going into the closet to get dressed. Normally, after bathing or showering, Lauren would get dressed unless she had other things in mind. Bo's eyes flashed when she recognized this subconscious move on her wife's part, happy that the honeymoon phase was still a little intact. Lauren smirked in response. "Maybe I can do some more research to see if there's anything I can do to counteract the birth effects."

"I could always carry the kids." Bo bit her lip, playing with the last remnants of bubbles surrounding her thighs. After all, she had considered this before Lauren came into the picture. When she and Dyson were dating, it was the first time kids became a possibility for her again. Well, kids in the confines of a relationship. She had pictured little half dog/half succubus children running around in the yard. Bo had to admit children with Lauren were much more appealing.

"I can't get you pregnant, and I do want our kids to be _our_ kids. As much as a surprise as she was, Briann is both of us, and I love that." Lauren cleared her throat, obviously warring between her arousal at seeing Bo naked and her vulnerability at being emotionally naked. "That wasn't something I considered until you came along, and now that it's…I love that about us."

"Me, too." Bo took that moment to crawl out of the tub. She stayed eye contact with Lauren, even as she removed the towel surrounding her wife. She used it to dry some particularly wet spots on her body before tossing the towel on the side of the tub. Lauren could scold her all she wanted about not putting the towel up to dry. "You're still taking your birth control?"

"Yes." Lauren visibly swallowed, probably because she was trying to hold back her arousal. Bo knew, though. She always knew. "I want more kids; that doesn't mean I'm going to do something stupid." She closed her eyes and her arousal seemed to diminish a little. Bo could tell she was scolding herself, so she allowed her the process time before she commented. "I didn't mean stupid."

"I know what you mean, Lauren." Bo couldn't keep her eyes from permanently flashing back and forth. She had since been teased with an intense arousal, and now the buildup was making the succubus in her want to howl in anticipation. She wasn't going to mention Dyson right now, or Emily. She wasn't even sure why they came to her mind just then. Maybe it was the residual predatory need to claim what was hers. Now that Lauren had confirmed for her that the other woman was a nymph, Bo had understood a little more why Lauren was able to succumb so easily to Emily. She didn't seem like Lauren's type at all, what little she did know of her, and Bo only sat and listened when Lauren discussed how to deal with the Emily situation. After all, if Dyson was dating her, then there was a possibility the woman would be around more. Now, all Bo needed to do was find those one night stands and first girlfriend Lauren had in college, and she would have the complete set of her wife's ex lovers. "Hey, I have a great idea. Why don't we forget about clothes and just head back into the bedroom like this?"

"Of course a succubus would think that was a great idea." Lauren didn't protest, though. She just smirked and quirked an eyebrow before nodding toward the bedroom in acceptance.

"Have I told you how much I love that you've been hyper sexual lately?" Bo wrapped her still damp skin against Lauren's, pulling their breasts together and placing light kisses along her neck.

"That's a succubus thing, too." Lauren's intake of breath caused Bo to finally move them into the bedroom. There was no protesting at all. "And it's not like I'm not getting anything out of it."

Bo only hummed her response against Lauren's skin. There was no more talking for the rest of the night beyond whispered approvals and hurried gasps of guidance. They could deal with everything else later; the battles they faced weren't the highlights of her day. It was always coming home in Lauren's arms right before they said goodbye to the day.


	20. Wine is Fine, but Whiskey's Quicker

They had been looking for a little over two weeks. So far, they had several leads but all of them had turned out to be duds. For someone so privileged, Hadley was really good at hiding under the radar. Apparently, Lauren wasn't the only one who learned that lesson growing up. Bo found that working with Kat was quite entertaining, though she did find the sweet nothings and dirty talk to Roger over the phone disturbing. In retrospect, Kat probably found her phone conversations with Lauren equally as disturbing for the same reasons.

Lauren had started breaking down and doing some planning for their upcoming trip and was planning Briann's birthday party, stating that she could worry about those details if Bo and Kat could find her sister. For these reasons, they had spent more time at the clubhouse and in the city. Bo didn't know how much she missed the city until they were back here; while the farm had its charm, there was something always appealing to her about having all sorts of options available to her at all times. The busy of the city had always been something she enjoyed, as it matched her energy and need for movement. That she would ever again be happy living on a farm was something she never expected, but being with the right person made all the difference. Still, the city was where she thrived and really came alive. Plus, she didn't have to kill or grow her own dinner and Lauren was cooking more now that they had been staying here. Bo didn't realize how much she missed her wife's cooking. Gram usually did the cooking, so Lauren only had a chance to help on the weekends. While she adored their living situation, just spending time as one family unit under one roof was probably the happiest Bo had been in a long while. It actually made her feel better that she no longer had any mothers of her own. It allowed her to truly focus and reflect on being a good mother herself.

Lauren was taking some patients at the Light Fae compound and was going to the Dark's doctor's office to deal with their patients. Bo would come in from their search and find Lauren cuddled on the couch with work and Briann playing on the floor beside her. One night, she had come home to find them in the bathtub together, which was a rarity to see Lauren playing with bath ducks and tugboats while immersed in bubbles. Bo wanted to take a picture to preserve the memory, but she didn't think her wife would appreciate the nude photos. The last time she had caught a picture of Lauren half naked in her undergarments, they had gotten into a big fight when Vex had found the picture in Bo's purse and decided it was a good idea to wave it around for the patrons at the Dal to see. Lauren had stormed out of there, embarassed and angry. Bo never carried those types of pictures of her wife in her purse ever again, though she did still keep a picture in her wallet of them together, smiling and happy in a quiet moment that Kenzi had captured not long after they found out Lauren was pregnant.

Kenzi was helping back at the farm, doing the web searches for addresses and maps. Bo felt strange going to the Eye without her best friend, so she was trying to put it off as long as possible; she wondered if that meant she would have to be the one to pay the price this time. One thing she knew for certain was that she missed doing cases with her best friend. Since she didn't think many of them would happen once she became queen, Bo found she wanted to start taking on more cases again. She knew this bothered Lauren a little, since that meant Bo would be in all sorts of random danger and death was still fresh. Bo really missed being in the field. She hoped she would have the chance to do this more when she did take the throne. Kenzi would probably be well in her early forties by then. Even if Alexie and Briann would be in college, or whatever they decided to do after high school, Kenzi may still not be up to getting into too many shenanigans with her anymore. That thought actually depressed Bo more than she wanted to admit, but it made her want to cherish what time she did have left with her best friend that much more, which made her want to get the team back together that much more. They could be more careful; the hard part would be convincing Lauren of that.

The one thing that was actually bothering Bo right now was that Lauren had also been preparing a dinner party this weekend with Dyson and Emily; it was like the double date from Hell, and Bo was not looking forward to being around the woman again. At least Bo had put her foot down and told Lauren to take their names off of Briann's birthday party list. She knew she was being overly ridiculous and protective, but the day was about celebrating their daughter, and Emily was the type to make it all about her. Lauren shouldn't have added stress when she was supposed to be happy, and nobody should have to witness Bo stabbing Emily for causing that stress. It was a shame that Dyson would miss out; Bo hated that, but he had made it clear where his loyalties were at the moment.

It had been three weeks since the drive by bitch attack, but Bo still wasn't comfortable with the idea that Lauren had about being civil. Bo could deal with Evony, and she had even learned to deal with Nadia, but there was no way she was dealing with Emily. Nadia may have burned high on her sexual desire toward Lauren, but that was a desire Bo could deal with; Emily's was different. It was equal parts desire and domination. Emily wanted to dominate and own Lauren, and that was not cool.

Still, Lauren insisted being the bigger person and showing that she would not be bothered by Emily being in their lives. It was actually amazing on Lauren's part, as she was outwardly showing and making an effort to be good to Dyson. At least that "Emily would never bed the help" comments he had were finally dispelled. Bo wondered just what the hell this chick told the wolf to make him believe that. Bo felt bad for not realizing just how awful Dyson looked. What was this woman doing to her friend? Bo felt even worse that Lauren was the one who had to mention Dyson looking like he hadn't been taking care of himself. It actually reminded Bo of when Dyson tried to hold back how much it hurt him when she fed from him.

Lauren explained that Emily was a nymph, which was apparently similar to a succubus except they didn't elicit sex so much as trickery, which often included sexual responses. They were sexual creatures by default; it wasn't their main power, though. Still, they had persuasive powers and were even worshipped as deities in some cultures. While Emily was clearly attractive, which went with Bo's theory that there were no ugly fae, she wasn't as attractive as she thought she was. Bo understood that Lauren was attracted to the dominant woman type, but this went a little overboard for her liking. The thought that this Emily had so openly deceived and tricked Lauren into bed was way worse than Evony. At least Lauren knew exactly what Evony was doing when she was offered sex, and it wasn't like she had tricked her into bed. She didn't pretend there were emotions involved, either. Lauren said it was consensual, and that she made the choice to accept. Bo was confident that Lauren would never cheat, so she didn't have to feel threatened by Evony anymore. Nadia wasn't even that much of a threat now; sure, there were still feelings there toward her wife, but Bo knew there wasn't anything to worry about. Besides, Bo couldn't blame anyone for wanting Lauren; who wouldn't was her logic.

For some reason, Bo felt extremely threatened by Emily. Lauren explained it was the new character introduction thing, but it was more the aura that Emily had around her wife. Bo did not like that look that happened when they met at the Dal, and she had even told Lauren not to be surprised if Emily found her face stabbed during dinner. That was probably why Lauren changed the dinner menu to include nothing that required a knife. She seemed to ignore the fact that Bo usually had a pen knife strapped to her thigh most of the time, and that the fork would end up doing more damage if Bo was really angry.

For now, Bo had to focus on finding Hadley. She and Kat had found another lead, which actually seemed promising. They were in the shopping district in Dark territory. Nobody would think to look for a missing fae at a busy mall, and Dark fae wouldn't think anything about her presence, especially since she _wasn't_ fae anymore. The lead had Hadley working as a stock girl at a bath store in the mall, hiding in plain sight. It made sense to Bo, which is why she didn't completely discount the informant, who seemed to be a little bit off his rocker, even for fae. Kat didn't want to believe him, but Bo had insisted that any lead was something, even if they had all been dead ends so far. To this point, she had stayed back a bit to let Kat do her tracker thing. This time, Bo used her special brand of tracking known as the succubus touch. It was all about knowing who and what to ask.

When they got to the mall, Kat's eyes turned that deep, glowing purple they did when she went into tracker mode. Bo liked how well they worked together. Maybe she would consider asking Kat to join the detective team; that would give her a partner in the field that Lauren apparently trusted to keep her safe and would give Kenzi the opportunity to do the hacking and research skills she had acquired and still be part of the team. Then again, Kat seemed to love her role as housewife and mother, and the boys were young, so she may not want to join.

"She's here." Kat's jaw stiffened, as her nose and chin perused the air surrounding them. They were standing in the middle of a mall, where all sorts of smells and sounds were assaulting them. It only made her more impressive, as far as Bo was concerned, that she could drown out all of the pretzels, candles, and perfumes to find what she wanted; even more impressive than Woods, actually. "Hadley is here."

"Where?" Bo didn't get any specific stores in the lead; the only thing she could succubus out of the poor fae guy was that her sister-in-law was a stock girl in the mall. It was the first time she really used her succubus skills to get answers, which she found surprised Kat. They apparently both thought the other was taking the lead; it was definitetly a comedy of errors. Bo just explained that she usually didn't need her powers anymore; her reputation usually meant people didn't mess with or lie to her as much as they used to, and she only had to use her powers on particularly difficult fae. Since they had sniffers out there for months, the informants were even going to be compensated if their leads turned out helpful. So far, this was the only guy that was getting anything in return for his information.

"Over here." Kat seemed to snap at attention and walk aggressively through the crowd. Bo was surprised at the change of pace so following her was a delayed response. She noticed a security guard eyeing them, probably because of the intensity in the Osprey's walk. When they reached a sports store, Bo was surprised to find Kat immediately walking to the back and ignoring the other clerks telling her not to go in there. Bo went to apologize, but she knew why Kat disappeared back there.

Hadley was here.

Bo found her own self ignoring the clerk's pleas, even when she saw the clerk pick up a phone probably to call security. What she found when she got behind the "Employees Only" door was Kat holding Hadley's body inside her own and waiting for her.

"Told you." Kat seemed quite pleased with herself. For the first time, she actually got why she and Roger fit so well together. "What now? We have about ten seconds before the security guards swarm us."

"You don't think that would have been good to know before storming in here ourselves?" Bo felt the pressure to decide; Kat was looking at her and waiting on orders, holding a struggling Hadley, who was being strangely quiet and cooperative. The woman had to have known they would find her eventually.

"Um, back door?" Bo pointed toward the emergency exit door, and Kat didn't hesitate. She guided Hadley along, and Bo followed quickly behind this time. They found themselves behind the mall, and it was easier to succubus Hadley than to have Kat carry her back to the car. Two succubus whammies in one day equaled a lost reserve, so she definitely hoped Lauren would be up for some chi-loving tonight. They just flowed together with the crowd in the parking lot and made their way back to the yellow Camaro.

Since Hadley was still feeling the succubus effects and probably would for another hour, Bo decided to take her back to the clubhouse. It was the safest place, and she could call Lauren to prepare some formula to bring home. It was really strange and oddly unappealing to sense Hadley's sexual desire toward her, which was still mixed with her contempt and anger. Her succubus whammy couldn't hide the true emotions of a person; it was the reason why when she whammied Lauren that it was that much more enthralling to her. She didn't do it much, though, and usually only when her wife was acting insanely stressed or accidentally on purpose when they were already in the throes of passion.

When they got back to the clubhouse, they all just sat around the living room area. Hadley kept staring at her like she was disgusted that she couldn't fight her arousal. They asked where she had been and what she was doing these past few years, but the woman seemed more interested in sidestepping her answers. It became more and more frustrating as the whammy wore off completely. Finally, Bo decided to stop being nice about it and grabbed the pen knife from her pocket, aiming it at Hadley's throat and clenching her jaw to show how serious she was. Hadley only rolled her eyes, but her arousal was replaced by fear. Bo could tell that no matter how much she was trying to be a Lewis child right now and not show emotion, she was failing at it.

"Okay, I'm trying to be nice here, but you're testing my patience. I already called Lauren, and she's on her way with the formula. Do you think you can play nice, too?" Bo chose to sit down, deciding that aggression wasn't going to solve anything, though she did still keep the knife gripped tightly in her hand, pointed at Hadley where her hand rested on the sofa between them. Kat just had that amused look on her face and was letting her take charge yet again. Was this what it was going to feel like when she was Queen? Kat had wanted to tie Hadley up, but Bo had insisted it wasn't necessary; she was beginning to question that judgment. The woman's flight response was clearly written on her face now.

"I'm not sure what else you can take from me at this point." Hadley spit at her. Bo wiped her face, shutting her eyes to hide her eyes flashing in anger.

"I'm trying to make amends, if you'd just let me." Bo gripped the knife tighter and had to keep herself from lifting it at the woman again. Kat just chuckled lightly, obviously amused at the scene in front of her. Bo arched an eyebrow at her in response, which immediately sobered her. "You're going to be fae again; that's a start."

"Fae again, huh? So big sister finally found a solution to that evil formula you had." Hadley didn't appear too happy or impressed; she just seemed angrier. "What makes you think I want to be fae again?"

"Beats cleaning the horse shit out of Elder Krane's stables, doesn't it?" Kat started picking at her nails, as though she had become bored with the melodrama already.

"Wait, Elder Krane? That was who you were working for?" Bo did lift her hand a little, though it was more reaction to hearing her latest foe's name than an actual need to threaten Hadley with it. She leaned forward to run her fingertips against Hadley's wrist. Three succubus whammies, and Bo felt a little lightheaded and dizzy.

"Yeah, when mother wouldn't let me come work at the house, Lauren's father got me a job with Krane. He said it was the only place that would take me. I was absolutely disgusted and miserable to the point where I got help from my mother's lap dog. My husband already left me and took the kids, and nobody could fucking kill you. I was left to fend for myself, and I wasn't going to give you or anybody the satisfaction." Hadley was so stiff, and Bo didn't feel threatened by her looks, but they still made her uncomfortable. She didn't feel guilty for what she did to Lauren's siblings, but she could feel bad about what the situation produced. "You can apologize until you're blue in the face, succubus, but I will only ever spit at it."

"Look, Lauren is on her way, and she's going to undo this thing. You play nice with her, act like she's the best big sister ever, or I will end you." This time, she did hold her knife higher out of threat. Hadley seemed to get the picture; then again, even when she was fae, she wasn't a fighter. She was a spoiled brat who was given everything and never had to work for anything; even raising her kids was pushed off on someone else so she could fake like she was going to yoga classes every day. Of all Lauren's siblings, this had always been her least favorite from the beginning, even though Roger had almost killed her.

"I won't take anything from you. What makes you think I'd believe anything you say?" Hadley kept eyeing her knife, and Bo gripped it a bit tighter in response, though she did lower it. Lauren would be here soon, and this would be all over. She wasn't afraid that Hadley could do anything to her once she was fae again; she was right. She had sent numerous assassins after her, and they just became worse and worse at their job the longer time passed. Eventually, they stopped coming altogether, and Bo had discovered it was because nobody would take the challenge anymore. Since Hadley hadn't worked for Krane in over a year, she would have no way of knowing that somebody had finally succeeded where her assassins repeatedly failed. She had no intention of telling her, either. "I always thought Kat was a bitch of a sister-in-law, but you _really_ take the cake."

"Hey! Unnecessary!" Kat came back to the conversation; she was always scary beautiful when her eyes flashed that violent purple. There was a dangerous spark to them, and Bo found herself drawn to that energy. It wasn't sexual; it was just pure power. "Watch your tongue, or I'll fix it to where you never say anything ever again."

"I'd like to see you try." Now Hadley was just being stupid. At least Kat only arched her eyebrow in amusement again; this must have been what dinner at Gram's was like all those years. Bo was glad that she wasn't the only one that received the tension and harsh looks from the Lewis clan. Kat's aggressive loyalty and protectiveness was showing, though. It was probably why Hadley shut up immediately. That look must be one hell of a parenting tool. Bo figured she would ask for some pointers for when she had to start disciplining Briann, even if she knew she would probably never bring herself to use them or apologize when she did. She was such a sucker already; she always was a sucker for big brown eyes. Since these eyes belonged to her own daughter, that made her resistance that much more futile.

"Okay, let's just calm down. This will be over soon, and we never have to see each other again."

"Like hell." Hadley surprised Bo, who wasn't aware she had even loosened her grip on the knife. When she was trying to relay the relaxation vibe, she made a mistake and relaxed too much herself. She was still registering that the knife was gone when Hadley jammed it quickly and harshly into her own lower stomach and sliced it up.

"Dammit!" Kat moved first, grabbing the knife and tossing it across the room. It was a stupid move, since it only made blood spew all over the couch and floor. Hadley was already choking out and spitting up blood. Bo reacted with what she remembered seeing Lauren do by trying to put pressure on the wound. Even though Hadley was struggling for breath, she was pushing with all her might to get them to leave her alone. When she sputtered out her last bloody cough, Bo felt the woman go limp in her arms and panicked. Lauren would be here soon, and instead of saving her sister, she was going to find her already dead. Kat slapped her across the face, bringing her out of her comatose stare. "Snap out of it. You didn't do this to her, and I'm surprised she didn't do it sooner."

"Kill herself?" Bo laid Hadley's bloody body back on the couch, not even caring that the upholstery was ruined and was now stained with bad memories. All of the good memories on this couch over the past five years were completely erased with the sight of a dead body positioned uncomfortably across it. "I thought she'd at least be happy to be fae again."

"Obviously, it wasn't worth it to her if it came from you." Kat did look apologetic and was trying to be sensitive, but it wasn't something that obviously came naturally to the woman. She was a predator and had seen her fair share of bloody battles and endings. So had Bo at this point, but how could she not be affected? Sure, she didn't like the woman, but she didn't wish her dead. If she did, she would have killed her long ago when she thought that was how to get Lauren's freedom. Instead, her conscience had overruled her insanity at the time, and it was apparent now, too. "She was still human; who do we call? This isn't a fae-related death. I've been away from protocol too long."

"Hale." Bo stood from the couch and grabbed her phone from her back pocket. Her fingers were too slick and sticky from Hadley's blood, but she still managed to open the screen.

"The farm's security head?" Kat looked at her like it was the craziest idea ever, and honestly, Bo didn't know what made her immediately go to Hale for this. Normally, she would go to Dyson about crime stuff that she couldn't avoid reporting, but he was on her shit list right now. If he didn't look so awful, she would probably consider stabbing him in the face at the dinner party, too. Still, she had to think of something.

"He used to be a cop, covering up fae activity within crime scenes." Bo was trying to think with her logic right now, but Hadley's dead stare was making her panic even more.

"Shouldn't you call Lauren; tell her what happened?" Kat seemed surprised that this wasn't her first reaction, and so was Bo. Maybe it was because it was so fresh and out of the blue that she didn't quite fully register it yet. Maybe it was because she wanted to know what to do before Lauren got there so her wife didn't walk in to be surprised by the bloody corpse of her sister. Hale wouldn't be able to get here before Lauren could, since she was already on her way and he was an hour away, but he could still tell her what to do and what not to do so the evidence wasn't tampered with. Even if she couldn't prevent it all, her wife didn't have to see everything.

"Dammit, Hale, pick up!" Bo yelled at the phone, pulling it away from her ear to have an image to yell at; a chipper Hale staring back at her, posing with his hand across his chin and lips jutted out like he was a mixture of ghetto suave was not helping her stress right now. It went to voicemail, and she refused to call Dyson, so she actually decided to listen to her gut. Lauren was already close to the clubhouse, and Bo didn't want her to be unprepared for what she was about to see. Lauren picked up after the first ring. "Thank god, Lauren."

"Everything okay? I was getting ready to call. You seem panicky. What happened? Is Hadley pissing you off that much?" Lauren was obviously worried about her and not the situation, and Bo suddenly felt like the world's worst wife. She had one job: To find Hadley and bring her to Lauren. How was she supposed to tell her that she had let her sister-in-law kill herself in front of them and that the woman would rather die than get help from them? She decided against the BandAid-ripping method.

"Hadley got my knife and stabbed herself." Bo cleared her throat, already sensing the doctor taking control. "I'm sorry; she ripped herself through before we realized she had it. We couldn't do anything."

"Wait. She stabbed herself? She's dead?" Lauren had let the doctor go and reacted like a real human, which surprised Bo. She expected her wife to close herself and not react with such strong emotion, especially over someone who terrorized her. Bo had to remind herself that this was still Lauren's sister, regardless of how bitchy she was. Her wife had enslaved herself to protect her family, and she probably saw Bo's failure as her own instead. "Did you call Dyson yet?"

"I tried calling Hale, but he didn't answer." Bo wasn't surprised that the doctor returned after that intense burst of emotion.

"Call the Morrigan. She'll send Dyson's partner to do the crime scene. Was Kat there with you?" Lauren seemed to be in a panicked logical state herself. Bo hadn't considered how bad this actually looked until now. Hadley had stabbed herself with Bo's knife, which was full of her prints, and she was covered in Hadley's blood. "Don't do a thing. Sit down and wait on me, understand? I'm rounding the corner now; I'll see you in a minute. Call Evony."

"Okay." Bo was no longer paying attention, as she dropped her phone on the couch. All she could think about was how this was going to come back on her. Of course that was why Hadley did this here. Kat took the initiative now, probably hearing Lauren with her enhanced Osprey senses. She dialed Bo's phone, since Kat probably didn't have the Morrigan's number saved in hers, and Bo couldn't pay attention to anything she was saying. Instead, she just sat there beside the dead body of her bloody sister-in-law, comatose as she stared at nothing, picturing having to go back to prison. How would she get out of this one? Even Roger with his full fae powers back intact couldn't save her, and she actually was innocent this time.

* * *

When Lauren came inside, she immediately moved to check on Bo. Hadley was slouched beside her, covered in blood with intestines sneaking out from her blood-stained shirt. Lauren knew there was nothing that could save her sister, so she chose to worry about her wife first. She rushed over to find the pure panic and distress she sensed had placed Bo in an almost comatose state.

"Bo, babe, you need to snap out of it." Lauren tossed her briefcase and matching brown leather jacket on the unoccupied chair closest to her wife. She was used to dealing with crisis, but Bo was still learning how to deal with all of the death surrounding them lately. Couple that with everything that was happening this month, and Lauren couldn't blame her for checking out. "I'm here."

"She's been like this since you got off the phone a bit ago." Kat walked over and handed Lauren a wet dish towel. Lauren nodded her thanks and took the towel, immediately making way to wipe at some of the blood that had sprayed on Bo's face. "I called the Morrigan, explained who I was and what went down; she is sending a team over now to process the scene. It's a human crime, with no threats of exposing the fae. They'll get this taken care of fast."

"Thanks, Kat. It may be me that owes you a bottle of scotch now." Lauren had thought the gift was an odd choice coming from her sister-in-law, and she wasn't sure what to make of it at first when she pulled it from the gift bag given to herat Roger's rebirth dinner. Was it a thank you gift for giving Roger back his fae? Was it a dinner host gift? Nothing really made sense, so Lauren decided it was just a thank you in general.

"I think she's freaking a little that this is going to come back on her, but she's safe. If being married to Roger has taught me anything, I can recognize when the justice system will do its job right without needed manipulation. Plus, the fae detective the Morrigan is sending won't let anything happen to a fellow fae, unaligned or not. The logistics will be clean, so one less thing to worry about." Kat was being so professional and calm right now that it was hard to believe Angela Lewis hadn't been her mother, too. No, Lauren had met Kat's parents. They were lovely people. "Now, which one of us needs to call your mother and Gram?"

"Oh, shit." Lauren had been so confused by the entire situation, but there were two people that would actually be feeling Hadley's death on a biological level. Whenever a biological child died, a Hestian lost control of their bodies and went into a hyper aware state. Gram would be feeling that through the line, too, since her daughter would have felt like she had died in that instant, too. Family was their life force; losing a member of that family was like amputating a limb. It was why mourning and grieving periods for Hestians were longer than average fae rituals and why Hestian funerals were more depressing than listening to emo music in the dark after watching the world's saddest movie. "I'll call them. Hearing from another biological child will help soothe the ache they feel. Call Roger. Tell him what happened, and see if he can come here. Also, tell him that he should call mom and Gram soon. Call Maureen, too. Tell her…tell her the same thing."

"Of course." Kat only nodded. Ospreys thrived on order, even in chaos. They were quick-witted and able to handle tough battles with minimal stress, which Lauren predicted was because of their natural predatory skills. Since Lauren actually felt like she was losing it a little, too, she was glad that somebody could stay completely on task. Kat started to walk away to make the calls but didn't make it to the hallway. "Maybe I should have Roger call your mother instead? You need to take care of Bo."

"Bo? Can you here me?" Lauren could sense she was aware of her presence, but she didn't outwardly appear to be following. This was the first time she had sensed Bo choke like this, and she couldn't figure out why she would do this now, of all times. Then, it made sense. It was the same thing she was feeling; Lauren had actually felt a sharp stabbing pain in her abdomen when she was on her way here. She thought it was just a cramp, since she was starting her cycle soon. "You felt it, too."

"Felt what?" Kat inched back into the room a little, and Lauren looked up to make brief eye contact with her before pulling her pen light from her briefcase so she could examine Bo's responses.

"Bo. I mean, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach earlier but thought nothing of it. The Hestian thing wouldn't hit me as strongly because I'm not fae, but Bo, she has a part of me in her, the Hestian part of her, from the exchange. She is feeling that despair." Lauren knew what to do now. "You need to call Roger; he will not be okay. And yes, you should have him call mom and Gram right away. Call Maureen, too."

"Okay. Do you need anything? I may be a bit." Kat's loyalty to her husband was something Lauren always admired. Then again, Ospreys were like most shifter fae, and they mated for life, even if their mate was a giant asshole like Roger.

"No, I'll be fine. Of all of us, you and I are probably going to be the only ones okay for a while. Bo's succubus will eventually take back over. For now, we need to keep it together." Lauren made eye contact with Kat again, both of them nodding lightly at each other in acceptance of this fact. When Kat disappeared into Kenzi's old bedroom, Lauren went back to tending Bo. "Okay, Bo. I'm going to call Trick and tell him we'll be late picking up Briann. I may need to call Kenzi to come and bring her to us so she can take you two back home to the farm. The police should be cleared out of here by the time she gets here, but you can't stay here tonight, okay?"

Bo could only nod her response, and it seemed like such a difficult task to do even that. Lauren checked a few more vitals before a knock at the door interrupted doctor mode.

Behind the door was an attractive blonde female, a little bit taller than her, probably because of the shoes, who threw off a strong, confident vibe. Lauren felt herself blushing, her heart racing. She couldn't help but feel this woman's pull. She recognized her as Dyson's new partner and ushered her and the crew inside the apartment. There was a coroner with her, too, which meant Evony wasted no time to help out her master. It wasn't a fae matter, but it was fae sensitive. The Morrigan actually impressed Lauren with her compassion for the situation. She owed her a bottle of scotch now, too, though she knew Evony was more the vodka and diet cranberry type.

The police did their thing, and Lauren stayed beside Bo the entire time. She finished her workup on Bo's faculties, glad when her wife found her voice back. Bo's eyes had flashed blue when the detective entered the room. Since her fae was at the forefront in its most primal form right now, the succubus obviously reacted to the detective's natural sexual energy. Lauren could even read that without succubus powers. It wasn't a sexual situation; it was just a natural energy, much like Bo's. Lauren decided to bite back her jealousy that her energy hadn't been the one to bring her wife back to reality. Then again, maybe it was Lauren's surprising aura jumping at the sight of another woman right in front of her wife. Lauren felt her cheeks flush again, knowing she was embarassed that she accidentally checked out the detective without realizing.

The detective, Tamsin, had taken Bo's and Kat's statements before giving them permission to clean up and remove their clothing for possible evidence. Lauren was requested to stay behind for her medical expertise, but the tall blonde detective actually gave in when Bo verbally showed her panic and demanded that Lauren help her first. Lauren quickly explained the Hestian thing before following Bo upstairs.

Lauren made sure she got in the room first so that she could prevent Bo from seeing herself in the mirror with all of the blood soaking her clothes. The small forensic team had already taken pictures of the blood spatter, including Bo and Kat. Lauren had to explain she wiped the blood from Bo's face, since it had gotten into her eyes. Lauren helped her get undressed, understanding the slowness of the process. When she had them all piled for the evidence bags, Lauren ushered Bo into the bathroom to take a shower. The blood was caking into her hair and making it hard to the touch. Lauren helped Bo and wasn't surprised when Tamsin knocked on the doorless entry into the bedroom to ask if everything was okay. Since Bo was in the shower, Lauren exited the bathroom area to give the detective the pile Bo's soiled clothes.

"We are calling it a suicide, so we don't need the clothes. The coroner is preparing the body for extraction now. Once the autopsy report is filed, we can close the case quickly and you can return home. Your sister-in-law left, stating you would know why. For now, is there a place you can stay?" Tamsin had this bad girl look to her that Lauren couldn't help but admire. She seemed like somebody who followed the rules but loved breaking them even more. She reminded her of Bo a little in that regard and was surprised that they hadn't met her yet. Then again, they hadn't been doing much work that required cooperation or sources within the police. If Bo met her, she never said anything. Lauren felt a bit of jealousy flare at thought of Bo being attracted to her, too. She wished she had paid a bit more attention to how they interacted now.

"Yes, I've already made arrangements for a friend to come pick up Bo and our daughter."

"You have a child?" Tamsin seemed surprised, though Lauren felt like she was being appraised in a non-detective way. "I meant here. Was your child here?"

"She turns one year in a few days. She was with Bo's grandfather while we were at work." Lauren knew that Tamsin was already aware of who they were in the fae world, even if she didn't know all of the details. Lauren liked it that way. "Will you call me as soon as my sister's body is released? She has no official next of kin right now, so I'll be the one making all of the arrangements."

"I've lost a lot of my sisters over the years, so I understand. Whatever you need, Dr. Lewis." Tamsin pulled out a card from her vest pocket. Lauren accepted the offer and smiled in appreciation. Their fingers touched briefly, and Lauren felt a jolt of electricity. She was naturally curious about Tamsin's fae pedigree. Just from their brief conversation today, Lauren already had it narrowed down to three possibilities, and she had never physically met a single fae from any of those three. Her inner doctor squealed a little at the possibility, though she stayed completely professional. "The Morrigan has commanded that anything you need, you just need to ask me, and I do mean anything."

"We'll be fine, detective, but thank you." Lauren placed the card in her pants pocket, only now realizing that she had blood on her, as well, though it wasn't much and had only rubbed onto her when she was checking on Bo. She didn't realize she had never even touched or examined Hadley for herself.


	21. Living a Teenage Dream

Bo was staring at the wall in their bathroom. She didn't even know how long she had been staring, and she knew she was supposed to be cleaning up Briann's mess before Lauren got back to pick her up for the party. Well, not a party; more like an extra depressing and formal wake. Apparently, fae funerals were long events that lasted for several hours around the dead body. Ciara's had been a celebration, but Lauren said that Hestian funerals were _supposed_ to be extremely sad events.

Bo kind of missed that particular human ritual, where a funeral lasted maybe an hour and then they went to bury the body instead of standing around it and drinking. They had done that with some random fae girl's body in the casket, to apparently appease the human world, which was probably why Bo missed the simplicity. Then again, fae lived longer lives, so it made sense that they would have longer funerals. Ciara's had been a strange event for her; it was the first time she felt guilt again after just losing all of her past guilt. She still felt the pang that she could have just been a split second faster in deciding what to do; maybe the fairy queen would still be alive. Maybe Ciara would still be in the land of the living, and Dyson wouldn't be holed up with Emily, and they wouldn't be having that damn dinner party next weekend. Despite helping her family with the funeral arrangements and mourning rituals, Lauren still insisted they stick with all of their original plans. That included what Bo thought of as extremely unnecessary dinners.

Lauren hadn't stopped, and Bo knew that it was because once she did, she would have to allow the reality of the situation to surface. Right now, she had things to do to keep her mind occupied. Even if she wasn't Hadley's biggest fan, Lauren still loved her sister; somehow, in that big caring soul of hers, Lauren loved the woman who aided in tormenting her for years and kept trying to kill Bo. The last laugh was on her if she thought that using Bo's knife was going to get Bo in trouble, though.

Tamsin had never been Bo's biggest fan the few times they ran into each other, but she was still good at her job. Dyson had been adamant to fight against being partners with a Dark Fae; yet, he didn't mind pointing out that he liked her and that had even complimented her a few times despite their differences. Plus, the Morrigan would never allow anything to happen to Bo. Tamsin had seen that firsthand when Bo had partied a little too hard at the Morrigan's office late one night. The detective offered to take her out for spilling an entire bottle of red wine all over the Morrigan's carpet, but Evony became extremely defensive and became adamant that not a hair was to ever be harmed on her head;. That was the first time she officially met the woman, and she wasn't even sober enough to remember anything beyond Tamsin being angry and aggressive and Evony calling Lauren to come pick her up.

Thanks to Lauren, Bo understood why she had panicked so much. She had felt what Lauren should have been feeling; it never occurred to her that when they shared parts of themselves, that meant they took some of the burden away from the other. It explained why Lauren was so strange back in her hometown; even though Bo lost her guilt, they had bonded when she still had it, so Lauren was feeling it tenfold because it was lacking. No wonder Bo was winning arguments with her logic.

"Bo?" Lauren cursed lightly, probably stepping on one of the blocks Bo was supposed to pick up from the floor. She didn't sound angry, though. "Bo? You okay?"

"Uh, yeah, in here. Just a minute." Bo didn't even realize she only finished putting on makeup for one of her eyes. She had been so lost in her inner thoughts that she wasn't sure when she went to sit on the toilet instead of finishing getting ready.

"Hey. I'm not sure my family will appreciate the _Clockwork Orange_ look." Lauren walked into the bathroom and dropped her suitcase by the sink before picking up the eyeliner and leaning in front of her. She started to put it on for Bo, who could only smile sadly at her wife. "It'll be fine. We won't stay longer than absolutely necessary. Hestian funerals are notorious for being long and boring. Nobody pays attention to anybody else because they are so enclosed in their own memories. It's supposed to be a time for reflecting on death and the effects it brings on others. I won't make you stay any more than is appropriate. Even though she died human, a lot of important fae will be there because of my mother."

"Reflecting on death and big name fae? I guess meeting Elder Krane again was bound to happen eventually." Bo felt this intense sensation to punch somebody. At least this time, neither of her nor Krane had home court advantage. Plus, Angela Lewis scared her a hell of a whole lot more than the woman who actually killed her, so there was no way Bo was starting a fight in that house.

"She won't try anything at my parents' house. She probably won't even acknowledge we're there, to be honest." Lauren finished applying the eye makeup, and Bo felt a sudden urge to grab her wife and kiss her with every breath she had. She was surprised at her restraint but knew that Lauren sensed her warring emotions. Lauren surprised her by placing a cold hand against her cheek and placing a soft kiss there. "Gram already left, and I just checked on Briann. Kenzi and Hale both have their phones on if we need them. Tamsin said she'd meet us there."

"Tamsin's coming?" Bo felt her anger reappear, and a lot of that was her jealousy. The detective had picked up on Lauren's special brand of fae magnetism and was way too high around her wife. "She's Dark, though; isn't that, like, some kind of fae no-no?"

"Gram will be there, and so will a lot of our Dark fae family. Lachlan is sending security detail from the Light, as well. There will be a lot of people there, and when a bunch of fae get together and reflect on death and sadness…let's just say that people have different ways of dealing with their grief." Lauren defending the other woman was not helping Bo's anger. "I try to hide mine behind work; you often try to hide yours behind a punching bag or sex."

"Still, isn't it strange that the detective who processed the scene is going to be there?" Bo had long since given up any pretense that she was going to continue winning arguments with her logical skills. Once they got back to the farm, Lauren had logic back by the truckloads.

"You're jealous of Tamsin, Bo, really?" Lauren smirked a little, which made Bo pout in response. Bo stood from the toilet finally and walked into their closet to grab a jacket. They didn't really need one because it was so humid outside, but she needed to have something to grab angrily off the hanger. "Come on, Bo. I just met the woman, and she's being nice because Evony told her to play nice."

"Excuse me if I'm cautious that one of your ex-lovers is telling one of her people to 'care' for you and tend to your every need." Bo knew she sounded silly, but she didn't care. She couldn't help what she was feeling, and she couldn't help but be angry that Lauren hadn't even considered it. "She burned bright for you, and I don't like that. Even worse? You liked her, too. I don't trust her."

"Babe, you don't have to trust her. She only volunteered for the detail because we're going to be there. Like I said, people do crazy things when they mourn, and we're the perfect targets. You're unaligned, and I'm human. We're married and have a hybrid child, and there will be a lot of fae there tonight that do not like that we bastardized their laws." Lauren took the jacket from her and hung it back on the hanger she picked up from the floor. "I know your symptoms have subsided now, but once we get there, you'll feel the effects again. With Elder Krane going to be there, I feel better knowing we have someone in our corner."

"I still don't like it." Bo relented and rolled her eyes at her minor hissy fit before she took the coat from Lauren and hung it back in its place. Living with Lauren was the first time Bo had a closet that was organized, and that still felt strange. "Okay, but we're out of there the second we're allowed to leave."

"Of course." Lauren smirked lightly again and moved to fold their hands together, guiding her from the bathroom. "Besides, maybe we'll get lucky, and one of my perverted uncles you haven't met yet will keep you occupied."

"Ew, Lauren. I just got the mental image out of my head of your Uncle Stephen walking into the kitchen naked in the middle of the night. You cannot unsee some things, and I still hold that he did it on purpose. Sleepwalking, my ass." Bo hadn't even considered that every person living in Lauren's family would be there, too. That meant this was the first time she would be in a room full of Whites and Lewises. This was almost like a test to see if she could keep her cool in a room full of people that probably didn't like her. Tamsin was their best bet tonight if something happened; Lauren had already suggested Vex, but apparently Angela Lewis had immediately destroyed that possibility, saying that the Dark Fae Mesmer had defiled the help and wasn't allowed on the property under any circumstances. It was a shame; Bo definitely trusted Vex a hell of a lot more than she trusted the Valkyrie detective. Lauren was right, though; they needed someone there in their corner. "I'm not going comatose again, am I?"

"Probably not. If anything, you're going to be overwhelmed by all of the power in that house tonight. I packed an extra suppressant, just in case."

"If that happens, we can just sneak up to your old bedroom so that I can finally make good on my promise."

"See the previous statement regarding you dealing by using sex as an outlet."

"I've never heard you complain before."

"Not complaining now."

"Let's go, then. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can come home and 'deal' together." Bo squeezed their hands before letting Lauren go. She climbed into the passenger seat while Lauren walked around the front of the car. When they were all buckled in and the car started moving out of the long driveway, Bo felt a slight panic. Nothing good ever came out of visiting her in-laws, and now she was the person who allowed a Hestian's daughter to kill herself. How was that proving to everyone that she could protect Lauren? Better yet, how was that winning her any Brownie points with Angela? Since coming back from spending a weekend with Mary Dennis, Lauren had hinted that she wanted to try to build some kind of relationship with her mother. Hadley dying on their watch was going the opposite direction of that goal. It didn't occur to Bo that she was walking into a place where most of the eyes would be on her, not because she was a succubus, not because she was unaligned, not because she was married to a human, but because she was the reason this event was happening at all.

Suddenly, Tamsin being there sounded like a brilliant idea.

* * *

Luckily, Lauren had driven a little over the speed limit, so they weren't late like she thought they would be. She always hated being late; even being on time was late to her. After Angela Lewis made the official announcement, everyone at the mourning ceremony was left to mingle amongst themselves as they lined up to send their condolences to Angela. Bo's nervousness at this situation probably rivaled her own, and Lauren kept close to her wife's side the entire time. She had no intentions of leaving it until they left. She was just glad that people were way too busy to bother with them.

Gram had greeted them briefly, stating that Maureen and Tom were coming to stay at the farm with them this week, so they would all talk in the morning. For now, there were too many people to talk to at this thing. It reminded Lauren of all of those parties growing up in this house, where she would be leaning against a wall away from everybody, merely observing the things and people going on around her. She didn't know they were fae soirees at the time; she now knew not all of them were. Still, the desire to stay down here just a little bit longer before going to hide in her room until everyone left was an overwhelming response right now. Nobody would probably notice or care too much. Not even Lachlan, who had apparently shown up last minute and was currently in conversation with Mrs. Lewis herself. That made Lauren nervous.

Bo was busy bouncing a bit with her nerves, spilling a little champagne every now and then. Thankfully, they had managed to get the Elder Krane confrontation out of the way early. She was the first person to walk up to them, and all she said to Bo was "I guess you got what you wanted after all" before disappearing into the crowd. Lauren was actually glad for the short-lived reunion there; she didn't realize how nervous and scared she actually was at seeing the woman again. In fact, she was afraid she was going to soil herself when Dr. Krane walked toward them.

They had already had the human-based memorial yesterday. Since the human world saw Hadley Lewis as the biological daughter to the Prime Minister, there had to be something to appease the human media world. Luckily, they got away with only a few articles and pictures at the funeral. It was closed casket, since the suicide had been explained as gruesome, which it was. There were a few articles that questioned what went on that caused Hadley to commit suicide, and drugs were the excuse in most of them. The Morrigan and Lachlan actually did a good job working together on the fae cleanup; they had sent people to compel the security guards and clerks at that store, so all they remembered was that Hadley left on her own that day and always acted sad and confused. The poor orphan fae girl that they actually buried at the cemetery was one who died for not listening to her doctorly advice, and Lauren was glad that the unclaimed girl received a proper burial, even if she wasn't technically being buried as herself.

Lauren was surprised at how numb she felt, though. Being surrounded by all of this sadness and reflection on death, she expected to at least feel something. It was her younger sister, after all. Hadley didn't always hate her, she didn't think. There were times growing up when Lauren would give Hadley the last gummy bear in the package, even though she had always saved her favorite flavor for last. Lauren had cleaned up a lot of cuts and scrapes from all of her siblings, and even if Hadley was the one with the least injuries because she was too busy training to be a desperate housewife, she still came to Lauren when she needed fixing. Hadley didn't seem to mind her in those moments.

Instead of dwelling on death as a finality, Lauren reminisced about the good things. She didn't want to think of her younger sister as the evil half sister in her story, even if that was exactly who she was.

Lauren could tell her mother was doing everything according to book. She was genuinely sad, though her cold exterior only showed this in a mild manner. Bo was the reason Lauren kept putting off going to her mother yet, but she knew she needed to, so she grabbed Bo's champagne flute from her and placed both of theirs on the tray that passed them.

Lauren had been the one to arrange everything; it was just another thing she had to plan. When she had called her mother, she was glad that Roger had called first. So had Gram and Maureen. Lauren was the last, and she actually liked it that way. Nobody had offered to help with the arrangements because they were too involved in their own grief; it was the one thing Lauren _could_ do to help her family, so she offered, and surprisingly, her mother accepted.

"We have to go talk to my mom, Bo. If we don't, then people really will start to look at us." She ushered her wife into the line waiting to talk to Angela Lewis. Bo tensed up more, but she still stood there, body close to Lauren's as they continued to move forward in the line.

Lauren had been keeping a close eye on all of the people in this room. Mostly, her eyes followed Tamsin, though. For some reason, she felt drawn to the Dark fae detective. Lauren didn't know why she felt safe with her being there. Bo had checked out into her own little world once they entered the driveway, just as Lauren predicted. She felt both detached and close to her wife and still refused to leave her side, even when Tamsin came to greet them earlier and offered to usher Lauren to meet her mother while Bo stayed behind. In that moment was when Bo came alive and became territorial; the succubus showed herself and had stayed ever since.

In those brief moments of conversation, Lauren actually saw how much Bo wasn't a Tamsin fan and vice versa. Lauren wanted to chuckle at the mild pissing contest, but she knew it wasn't the appropriate place to sound amused. Bo knew Lauren wasn't actually interested in Tamsin, even if she did feel the pull and attraction there. It was honestly probably the only time since they'd known each other that Lauren actually had a real sexual attraction to someone other than her wife. With Nadia, Evony, and Emily, her energy would have been only from residual memories or emotions. This was just a blatant attraction. It wasn't something she could help, and she would definitely never do anything about it. She still only burned hot for Bo. She still only wanted Bo, but her succubus wife no doubt didn't like the aura she had because of another woman. It was the first time in their relationship that it sucked that Bo could read her sexually because it made it that much harder to convince her wife that nothing would happen. Even if Bo herself knew that, the succubus was all territorial.

Lauren knew Bo was reading the energy of all the guests now and was dealing with her responses to the fae smorgasbord. She could tell her wife was hungry, and she was glad she brought the extra suppressant with her. Bo was at that defense mechanism stage and was obviously looking for an outlet. The predator was out, so Lauren just gripped her hand, knowing they would escape soon but couldn't be seen leaving the house for another hour or so. She hated protocol and ritual etiquette sometimes. It was the first time she was happy her room was 100% still intact, hidden away from everyone. Nobody would question if they started walking more into the house; only if they walked away from it.

"Lauren. Bo." Angela Lewis narrowed her eyes, obviously reading that Bo was in succubus mode. Her flashing blue eyes were not helping to hide this fact, either. "This is one of the only times I can say I'm happy to see you and be honest about it."

"Your love for me is different than it is with the others, but I know it's there. I can accept that." Lauren had wanted to say this to her mother for quite some time. "I'm sorry about Hadley."

"As much as I want to blame your wife here, I know that I can't in this instance. A lot of this was on me for casting her aside. I didn't know how to deal with suddenly having all human children. I knew she wasn't as strong as you; I should have known she couldn't have handled being human." For the first time, her mother was opening up a little to her and actually acknowledging that she was treated differently. Lauren knew it wasn't because of the alcohol consumption. Even in her depressed state, Angela Lewis would never lose her poise. "I am glad Hadley's father didn't show to this thing; I did good to get rid of him long ago, though it is interesting to see Maureen and Roger officially meeting their fathers. I never lied to my children about who their real fathers were, but I'm surprised they showed." Angela looked over where her other children were talking to strange men. Lauren followed her mother's eyes to see for herself. She had never even considered that they all had different fathers. "It's been a long time since I had to attend a Hestian funeral of this caliber. For it to be for my own daughter? Nothing could prepare me for this. The finality and heartbreak of death only happens once per person; it's why people aren't supposed to come back from it." She made it a point to narrow her eyes at Bo, who only bit her lip in response. It was the first time her wife wasn't being snarky back to her mother. Lauren knew that wouldn't last long, especially given her wife's need to punch or fuck something. "I heard about your little tete-a-tete with Elder Krane. I thought about sending an 'I told you so' basket but thought better of it. Despite what I'm sure she tells you or what you think, my mother did teach me some civility. Gloating so tastelessly is unbecoming."

"You knew I was going to die; even told me point blank. How would you know something like that?" Bo was trying to fight her anger, Lauren could tell, but her posture still bordered on threatening. That meant they would need to move from the line sooner than later. They could come back to talk to her mother later in the week; Lauren knew there would be several family dinners to attend, though she didn't expect her at Briann's birthday tomorrow.

"Let's just say I know Mary Krane a lot better than most and leave it there." Angela nodded to the people in line behind them, which caused Lauren to turn around and smile politely at her cousins. She hadn't talked to them since she was a child, and she had no intention to start again now. "Looks like you'll be doing things a lot sooner than you probably thought."

"We'll see you sometime this week." Lauren placed her hand on Bo's lower back, deciding now was the perfect time to escape to her old bedroom.

"I look forward to seeing Briann again. Interesting move not bringing her with you tonight." It was the same look her mother had in those pictures, where she was holding her. The genuineness in her mother's forlorn smile made Lauren's numbness disappear, only to be replaced by a sad anger. Lauren just nodded her response and guided an angry succubus away from a tense situation.

She didn't stop, only nodding at Tamsin that everything was okay before ushering them into the inner sanctum of the mansion. It wasn't hard to find her old room, even in the dark. It was like riding a bicycle; she had done this very thing often enough when she was younger, so she definitely wasn't surprised that the air had been shut off in this area of the house. The heat and humidity only intensified because of the lack of circulation. It was the same fight she had in the winter when she snuck a heater into her room, though her parents did allow for the small fan. It was good to know they didn't want to suffocate her, even if they were okay with freezing her.

"Okay, Bo, let it out." Lauren walked over to the small window and lifted it open, hearing the sounds of the party below them. They were two flights above the dining room, where guests were probably standing around and talking to one another about people they knew that had died. She turned back to her wife and turned on the small lamp that had never been moved. Whenever she rearranged her room, she always kept this lamp here. She thought it was a small semblance of sanity that no matter how dark it got, she would always know where to find the light.

"Ugh, I just…I always get so mad when I'm around your mom." Bo threw herself back onto the bed, looking up at the ceiling. "It's not helping being around the crazy sexual energy down there. Who knew depression and funerals made people so damn horny?"

"Like I said, people deal with grief in different ways." Lauren came to sit down on the side of the bed, placing a hand across Bo's stomach that was next to her. "I'm just glad you restrained yourself and didn't punch somebody."

"I wanted to; you have no idea." Bo rolled her eyes and actually chuckled a bit, which aided in releasing her tension. "Especially when your Uncle Stephen started getting a little too handsy and you were too busy making googly eyes at our resident detective to notice."

"It's not like that, Bo. You know it."

"But you want her."

"I want you." Lauren moved her hand to push Bo's shirt up a little so that skin was touching skin. The simple gesture did what she wanted in reassuring her wife. "It's stupid of me to even try to deny that I find her attractive, but you should know better than anybody that attraction doesn't always mean something. Do you know how many girls and guys I've seen you checking out over the years? And you're a succubus; if anybody was going to be paranoid about their spouse cheating, it would be me."

"She wants you, too, though, and I'm sure she knows how you feel. In that lies the danger." Bo pushed herself up on her elbows a bit. "I trust you. I don't want you to think that I don't, but I don't trust her. There's something about her that bothers me."

"She's a strong, attractive, independent female warrior. Of course you're going to be threatened that another one is encroaching on your territory, and I don't just mean me." Lauren moved to push long, curly brown locks behind Bo's shoulders. Sometimes, she was quietly amazed by her wife's beauty. Why would she ever even need to stray when she had this woman? "I get it, Bo, but there's nothing to worry about. I'm yours and only yours."

"I know that logically, but all of these succubus hormones are racing right now." Bo sat up and pulled Lauren's hand around her back. She mirrored the action by wrapping her arms loosely around Lauren's neck and pulling her in closer. "We are in your bedroom, and I did promise you I'd help you break this place in one day."

"Bo, seriously? There is a house full of people below us." Lauren lowered her voice more out of proximity than an actual need, her mouth only a few inches from her wife's. Bo wasn't pulsing her, but it felt like she was.

"If you're trying to talk me out of it, doctor, you're doing a horrible job." Bo used their positions to pull Lauren into a soft, teasing kiss. "Makes it more exciting and feels more like high school this way. The risk of being caught? Isn't that half the fun?"

"Bo, it's my sister's funeral, and we're in a house full of fae who probably already suspect they know why we disappeared upstairs. You being a succubus, the fae expect wild behavior." Lauren wondered if she hadn't intentionally brought Bo up here for this very reason. She needed to release her grief, too, and it would only serve to feed Bo a bit so she would calm down. "And those that don't will know as soon as we go back down there. It'll be all over us. You won't be able to hide your happy; you never can after."

"Truth or dare?" Bo wasn't admitting defeat this time. There was no Briann and no Vex to worry about; it was just the two of them, in her old bedroom, alone. "I'll go ahead and give you a hint that both options end in you kissing me."

"How would a truth end in me kissing you?" Lauren smiled at the playful tone they both suddenly shared.

"I know you well enough to know what questions you won't answer truthfully, so you'll have the consequences. That, and I know the right questions to make you feel guilty enough about the truth that you kiss me to make me feel better." Bo arched a challenging eyebrow. "So, doc, how you wanna play this?"

"I could be mean and leave the room instead." Lauren knew her body language was saying the opposite would happen, but she had missed this playful part of their foreplay. She even ignored that it was the most inappropriate place for it to resurface.

"But you won't." Bo smiled, obviously believing she already won. Lauren decided to be extra playful and went to extract herself from Bo's body and move to the door.

She didn't even make it off the bed before she was tackled back onto it, Bo hovering over her and grinding their pelvises together, legs entangled, and holding her arms beside her head. There was no escaping, and Lauren found she didn't want to. Maybe it was the emotions she was sensing from Bo. Maybe it was the succubus needs and her doctor personality not allowing them to go uncared for. Maybe it was the rush of being in her old bedroom with the woman she loved. Maybe it was just that Bo was so damn sexy when she looked at her like that. Whatever it was, Lauren gave in and pulled Bo's mouth and body onto hers hard.

It was the first time she had even considered sex a possibility while under this roof. It was the first time she had properly kissed anybody under this roof, since she wasn't counting the chaste kiss she and Bo shared the last time they were in here. This night kept turning into a lot of firsts for her. Bo had both of their shirts off and her hand already tucked into her pants and working its magic when there was a cough and light knock at the door. The fact that she was close and now frustrated completely slipped her mind as she panicked and dropped to the side of the bed where she was hidden from view.

Lauren felt horrified. It really was like high school. Except in high school, her partner didn't snarl at the intruder. Lauren grabbed her shirt to cover her chest and tossed Bo hers before waving awkwardly at Tamsin.

"I hate to interrupt this, what I am assuming is a Sapphic-fantasy sleepover gone wild, but I'm afraid your little love fest is interrupting the event." Tamsin pointed to the open window. "I'm sure everyone downstairs is glad to know you vocally approve of what our resident succubus does with her fingers, but this is a Hestian funeral. Did you forget a lot of fae have enhanced hearing? I've been asked to escort you from the property."

"Like hell." Bo was now not only a hungry and horny succubus, she was an angry one for being interrupted during a feed. Lauren quickly pulled her shirt over her head, not worrying about her bra. She picked up the shirt that Bo didn't grab and handed it to her wife, placing the shirt in one hand and using her other hand to touch her wife's bare shoulder to calm her down. Bo calmed a little and turned to look at her, accepting the shirt and pulling it over her head roughly and quickly so that she could go back to the threatening eye contact.

"I never would have pegged you for a screamer, Dr. Lewis." Tamsin leaned casually against the doorframe, eyes scanning them both. "It's always the quiet ones."

"Or it's because I'm that good." Bo was being ridiculous now. Lauren rolled her eyes and tried to hide her embarrassment. The fact that Tamsin saw her naked from the waist up and in the final stages of reaching an orgasm did not help to quell her desire for the other woman, either. That undoubtedly only fueled Bo more. "I know how to please my wife; it's why she never has to look elsewhere to get what she needs."

"Well, you both _need_ to come with me. Mr. Lewis has asked that I extract you as quietly as possible." Tamsin pushed herself up from the doorway and proved exactly why people listened to her despite her size and pretty face. "Let's go, lovebirds."

"Oh, you're enjoying this way too much." Bo scoffed, but she did follow and finally got down from the bed.

"It was quite…enjoyable." Tamsin eyed Lauren again, and she wasn't being subtle. Lauren couldn't hide her blush.

"Hands and eyes off the doctor, Valkyrie, or you'll find your wings clipped when you wake up in the morning." Bo was always so damn sexy. Okay, so the succubus territorial stuff frustrated her most of the time, but Lauren was just robbed of an amazing orgasm by said succubus. Naturally, she was reacting to that.

"Hey, she's your property. You don't share; I get it." Tamsin narrowed her eyes at Bo in something akin to a challenge. Did she really think that Bo owned her? It would make sense that some fae would use that as an excuse to reason why they were allowed to get fae married, but Lauren was surprised it came from the detective. It took her a minute to recognize the sarcasm. "Don't touch the pretty doctor. Your orders are pretty clear. Let's just hope you're this clear when you start giving real orders."

"What are you talking about?" Bo was doing a convincing job at acting like she was confused. Maybe it was the mix of hormones, especially in this room right now.

"Like you don't know." Tamsin walked to the window to shut and lock it, winking at Lauren as she passed. "Look, the Morrigan commanded me to play nice. She doesn't like that your fae army consists of mostly Light. She wants more Dark in your corner for the upcoming power shift."

"So Evony does know." Bo sat back down on the bed, relaxing her threatening stance. Lauren moved to stand beside her, keeping a calming hand on her wife's shoulder for support and comfort. "I wondered how long it would take her."

"Oh, come on. She's always suspected. When you put her under your control, she knew for sure. She's been playing you this whole time, sending you on missions, helping you with Lauren. The Morrigan wants to stay in power, and she knows how to do that." Tamsin went to lean against Lauren's old study desk, folding her arms and staring at them as though this was common sense. "She pulled me back from Argentina just so I could watch over you two. Woman power and all that."

"Is that why you've been flirting with my wife since you met her?" Bo's nostrils flared a bit, trying to hide her anger but not doing a good job of it. At least she had calmed some, probably from the confusion that Tamsin was adding. "Evony surely saw that we clashed; why would she think you would be a good idea?"

"Because I get you, Bo. I may not like you yet, but I get you. Why do you think I was sent to South America in the first place?" Tamsin pushed herself off from the desk and motioned to the door. "After you, ladies." They followed her out of the mansion and back to the front, where the hired valet already had their car waiting. When they were buckling in, Tamsin leaned into the window beside Bo on the passenger side but kept glancing over at Lauren with a seductive, dangerous smirk. "And to answer your question? I flirt with your wife because I'd be a fool not to want to."

"I can't argue with you there, but I also have to say you'll be a fool if you continue to do it. As my friend Kenzi can attest, I will 'cut a bitch.'" Bo was sending a warning glare to the detective, who only nodded and backed away from the window.

"My liege." Tamsin was being a smartass when she curtseyed and used a fake British accent, and Lauren had to smirk in response. She was quite amusing in that "I don't care if this succubus slits my throat" kind of way.

When they pulled out of the long driveway, Lauren started to lowly chuckle. She could tell Bo was mad at the response, which only made her full out laugh until she had to pull off to the side of the road, probably about three miles from the house. Tears were falling from her eyes because she was outright laughing so hard. When she looked at Bo, Lauren could tell that the laughter finally had calmed her anger and that she was more concerned that Lauren wasn't having a meltdown. When she finally calmed down enough to talk, Lauren just leaned forward and pulled Bo's mouth toward her, not caring that the surprised response got her a cut lip. It only took Bo a second to respond and give into the kiss.

"That was the first time since I was really young and didn't know better that I have felt happy in that house." Lauren moved away and wiped at her tears. "Thank you."

"Glad that I can be of service." Bo arched an eyebrow, amusement now being her predominant emotion. "So much for mourning, huh? How are we going to explain this to Gram and Maureen at breakfast? I mean, we just got kicked out of your parents' house for having sex and enjoying ourselves. You'd think a Hestian would be glad that her kid was happy; this whole long wake thing was not what I would have expected. I've been to parties with Melancholia fae that were more lively than that."

"I think that's the point, Bo. Besides, it was my dad who made us leave. We could have set the house on fire and stabbed half of the guests, and my mother wouldn't have been able to kick us out. It's the Hestian needing family to feed thing; she needs us, and we probably shouldn't have left." Lauren chuckled again, leaning her head against the side of the car. They were about twenty minutes from home. Gram and the others wouldn't be back for another few hours, so they could actually be happy before they had to start acting like the sad people they were supposed to be. She looked over to see Bo texting. "Who's that?"

"Kenzi." Bo was trying to hide a smile, which meant she was up to something. "I'm just checking to see if she can keep Briann a little bit longer, just in case."

"Just in case?" Lauren could admit she liked what she was sensing.

"Let's do some math, Doctor." Bo laid her phone on the dash before she held up her hand in a loose fist. "One really long, dark road that nobody will be passing for a while." She held up one finger. "Two really horny, reliving-their-teenage-rites of passage married people." She lifted two more fingers. "And two keys that just fell on the floor." She leaned over to turn off the SUV and pull the keys out of the ignition before dropping them on the floorboard. "Oops. I'm so clumsy."

"How was that math?" Lauren chuckled, even as she felt her entire body responding, even as Bo unbuckled both of their seatbelts.

"Considering all of those factors, how much time will it take for Dr. Lauren Lewis to arrive at her destination?" Bo moved over to guide her hand immediately into Lauren's pants, getting right to work on bringing back their previous state. Lauren pushed herself back into the seat further, trying to give Bo more room to maneuver. It had definitely been a long time since they'd done this. "Let's find out, shall we?"

"Bo, shut up." Lauren closed her eyes and bit her lip. There was nothing around them for several miles, but she still didn't want to be interrupted or kicked out because she was vocal again. She couldn't hide the whimpers or gasps when Bo had her close. She opened her eyes to see flashing blue ones looking back at her, concentrating on the task at literal hand. Lauren pulled Bo's face to hers and kissed her hard, sending her chi to her wife when she couldn't hold in the orgasm anymore. She wasted no more time as she crawled from the driver's seat to the back and kicked off her pants, knowing Bo would be right behind her.

Not long after Bo screamed her own release and after the windows were defrosted, they spent the next twenty minutes driving home with big grins on their faces and trying to make it look like they didn't just have sex in the car. Then again, once they got home, they still had a little bit before the others got there. Since Kenzi was watching Briann longer thanks to Bo, Lauren suspected they would be sneaking into the house or the lab to do this properly and fully before they had to go back to reality and stop acting like horny teenagers.


	22. Just Another Day

Bo stretched her body, or at least she tried to; there was another body quietly attached to her. Memories of last night slowly surfaced as Bo turned in the loose embrace and peeked open her eyes to see the sun rising. Lauren's heavy breathing indicated she would be waking soon; honestly, they both deserved more sleep, but it was their own fault for staying up so late. After the funeral ceremony last night, Bo had been so hyped up on sexual need. Then again, there could have been a lot of factors making her so needy. To have a partner willing to give it to her so freely? What more could a succubus want?

Her favorite memory from last night had been the simple fact that they had sex everywhere but the bed. It was like Lauren was trying to make up for a year's worth of missed opportunities all in one night. Bo had to admit she was honestly surprised when Lauren gave in back in her old bedroom at the Lewis mansion; there was something delicious about being the first person who got to deflower Lauren Lewis under that roof, even if they were kicked out before any real deflowering came to completion.

If she weren't so excited about today, despite the fact they were supposed to still be in mourning, Bo would be the glutton she was and try to wake Lauren into continuing where they left off. Still, she thought better of it. If Bo was sore, then she knew that Lauren would be. It was sometimes good to not heal completely and feel all of the after effects of really great sex; then again, that lead to more energy. Lauren had been the only person in history to make her feel like that. Bo was curious why her wife was so hyper sexual again; she wasn't complaining, by no means was she complaining at all, but she did want to know why the sudden resurgence of sexual liveliness. It was delicious, and the succubus was being spoiled. Bo didn't want to expect this all of the time because she knew it wouldn't last.

Maybe it was the fact that their little baby girl was turning one today.

Briann was one year old today.

Bo lifted her fingers to lightly trace Lauren's stomach, near the only remaining tiny silver stretch mark present there. A year ago today, she had passed out from feeling the electrifying pain her wife was going through during birth. A year ago today, she very well could have lost Lauren, and all because of her primal need to have a child with her. That would have destroyed her more than never having a child; she could recognize that now, but the Hestian/succubus internal war within was also quelled because they did have a daughter.

Lauren wanted more children, and Bo knew she had always wanted more than one, but there was no way in hell she was ever letting this woman experience that pain again. They would just be careful or start looking into ways to preventing pregnancy on a more permanent level; the fae equivalency to a vasectomy for her succubus mojo maybe. Then again, Lauren would probably never allow that to happen; the doctor would never consider that an option because it would mean subduing and stripping a big part of who Bo was. Even if she really wanted it, even if it was the only way to ensure permanent birth control, Bo knew Lauren would never let her do it. For that, she loved her even more.

Lauren started to stir, releasing the biggest "do I really have to" sigh before opening her eyes. Bo smiled at how adorable this woman was without even trying. When Lauren turned her head lightly on the pillow to look at her, Bo couldn't hide her big, satiated smile.

"Our baby is one today." Lauren took a deep breath and held it, puffing out her cheeks a bit when she slowly released it. Her eyes seemed to widen, and Bo could sense the happy panic that came next. "She'll be up in a little bit; we should head to the kitchen and help Gram make breakfast. Maureen and Tom probably won't be up for a while. All things considered, I really needed to tell Gram not to worry about breakfast today...or this week."

"She insisted, though, and you know arguing with Gram is like arguing with that brick wall in your office, which I have seen you do by the way and find both oddly adorable and worrisome." Bo scooted her body closer and wrapped her arm around Lauren's hip.

"It's my process; sometimes things make more sense when you say them out loud, even when it's to a brick wall." Lauren smirked, and Bo couldn't help but lean over to kiss her wife lightly for a proper good morning.

"I love you." Bo jutted her chin a little and looked up to the canopy above the bed. "Yep, it makes more sense when you say it out loud."

"You're ridiculous." Lauren let her have the cheesy, which was rare. Instead, she just rolled her eyes softly in amusement and relaxed. "We really do need to get up and go help. Gram shouldn't be moving so much; she's supposed to be in mourning."

"Yeah, well, so are we and that lasted all of one night." Bo still felt a little sad, but she realized that it was more for Lauren's family than the loss of Hadley. The way it happened sucked, and the fact that the woman would rather kill herself than get Bo or Lauren's help sucked even more. Honestly, Bo mourned for her old couch more than her evil sister-in-law, but she had been there and watched the entire thing. It was one of those things you couldn't unsee, and the image was still fresh in her mind. Hadley's suicide and all of this week long funeral ritual reminded her of was that her mother was dead, she had died herself, and she would probably watch both Kenzi and Lauren die. She could only hope that they went peacefully instead of violently like everyone else around them. "It's our little girl's birthday, and we're in a good place right now. I just…I don't want to go back to acting like I'm unhappy when I'm probably the happiest I have ever been."

"I know." Lauren cupped her cheek, rubbing her thumb lightly across still slightly kiss swollen lips. It was meant to be comforting, but it managed to elicit a surge of arousal in addition. Lauren rolled her eyes again. "You really are insatiable at times."

"I can say the same thing about you lately. Do you know how hard it is to wear out a succubus?" Bo wrapped her hand around the one Lauren still had on her cheek. "Do you know how many times you've managed to do that over the years?"

"I stopped counting after that first month we were married." Lauren smirked at her; Bo knew better, too. Her wife, the scientist, no doubt knew exactly how many times she had done it. Lauren's eyes lit up like she had just remembered something. "Shit! Our anniversary is coming up, too."

"Well, my anniversary gift to you will be to prevent you from planning it. You've been doing too much, Lauren. The trip, the Hestian funeral week, the birthday party tonight, that still-not-too-happy-about-it dinner with Dyson and the real spawn of Satan, the trip coming up." Bo pulled Lauren's hand away from her face so she could kiss the palm. "On top of work? Let's just do this one my way and be spontaneous."

"But we'll be in Scotland on that day with a crew surrounding us. Do you really want to leave Briann with Vex while we go and be spontaneous?" Lauren arched an eyebrow, though Bo could tell it was more to prove a point. There was no way either of them were letting Vex watch Briann; they did want her to see her second birthday. "We should really start thinking about who all we are taking with us."

"I'd ask Kat, but she has the boys." Bo had an idea and was surprised she never thought about this before, but she knew Lauren would have the answer. It was off topic, but she knew her wife could follow. "What about Hadley's kids?"

"You want them to go with us?" Lauren seemed to have what she called a post-coital dumb moment. When her wife smirked with a mixture of playfulness and sadness, Bo knew that wasn't really the case. "I talked to Rick, and as far as he was concerned, she died the day you gave her that coffee." Lauren's eyes cast down, the sadness clearly winning. Maybe acting like they weren't happy wouldn't be so hard after all. "It couldn't have been easy abandoning her children like that."

"Wouldn't the kids feel her loss worse than your mom or Gram? Worse than you, Roger, and Maureen?" Bo found herself curious. She had been so wrapped up in not liking her sister-in-law that she had forgotten everything that was taken from her. No wonder she hated Bo so much. Wouldn't that make her want to be fae again, though? So she could be with her kids again?

"Yes, but Rick and Hadley fit together because they were both assholes. He doesn't care that his children are miserable right now; even if the Hestian gene was the dormant one, they would still have an intense hole right now." Lauren didn't bother clutching the sheet to her, letting it fall around her waist as she sat up in the bed. Bo had to close her eyes to prevent from reacting. "I'm going to throw on some pajamas, brush my teeth, and go help Gram. You coming?"

"In a minute." Bo opened her eyes and smiled again, rubbing her hand down Lauren's arm before she left the bed. She looked over to see that their bedroom had become a battle ground. When did they actually knock over the settee? Lauren must have been really into it last night if she didn't bother to pick it up or complain that they had been totally inconsiderate of all the antique furniture in this room. Bo briefly recalled a few times over the past few months she was surprised the bedposts were still on the bed. Suddenly, all of the depression in her lifted yet again. She found energy and finally slinked out of the bed. The cold floor and room caused her to hop a bit faster into the bathroom, where Lauren was spitting out her mouthwash and had unfortunately already put on a white shirt and lounge pants. Bo found herself pout a bit when she picked up her own toothbrush, staring at her naked body in the mirror wall behind the sink as she brushed, casting glances at her chuckling wife who was now taming the wild out of her hair.

Lauren put on her socks and pulled on her robe over her pajamas before washing her hands. Bo knew her own hands were covered in the events of last night, so it was a good idea to wash up a bit herself before being around people. There was no doubt Kenzi was going to tease them some more about being teenagers in heat. No need to prove the point for her by literally having the dry yet sticky evidence all over her hands. Okay, so Kenzi couldn't see that, but Bo would still know it was there.

When Lauren left the room, Bo relented and pulled on her short running shorts and a black tanktop over a sports bra. She could maybe get in a workout before Briann woke up and while Lauren helped make breakfast; she had a feeling that getting a chance to work off her excess energy wasn't going to happen today. They had a lot of guests coming over tonight for the party, and Lauren was a good host. There would be no sneaking off for a quickie, especially considering they both knew Bo was overstuffed on chi right now. She would just do a quick run around the farm this morning, so she brushed the own wild out of her hair before pulling it back and putting on her socks and shoes. Lauren wouldn't mind this; in fact, she would probably encourage her to run off the energy.

She bounded into the kitchen and was surprised to see quite the busy happening. Kenzi was sitting at the counter, stirring something in a bowl she could probably fit her entire body into. Maureen was helping Gram roll out dough on the counter, but there was no Lauren. This surprised Bo, since her wife had clearly left the room to come and help with this process not even five minutes ago.

"Morning." Bo bounced into the room, probably more chipper than was allowed. She tried to tone it down, but Kenzi smirked and gave her that knowing grin.

"You sure you didn't get enough work out last night? Maureen was telling me quite a few people heard the warmup last night." Kenzi wasn't supposed to be smiling so big, and she knew it, which made it funnier to watch her best friend trying not to act amused. When Bo noticed that Gram and Maureen were smirking a little, too, she relaxed and didn't try to hide her happy as much. They would just have to forgive her. "You scared the shit out of me at two o'clock this morning. I heard something slam hardcore, like you were fighting an ogre. If I didn't know what was actually happening, I would have tried to rescue your ass. As it was, I had to convince the great and mighty Hale everything was okay when he came bursting into my room the opposite of badass. Are you sure you checked his qualifications before hiring him as your head of security? He's still not used to living in the same proximity as you when you're in twitterpated mode."

"I'm sure that's why he really came bursting into your room at two in the morning. Sure that wasn't just an excuse?" Bo leaned over the counter to steal a drink of Kenzi's water. She had spent so many times being teased by the young woman, she was going to be glad when she got to pay her back for real. Either Hale or Kenzi really needed to make a move so she could get on with it; Bo knew neither of them would, though, which was frustrating to watch and made her sad for her best friend. "I'm going for a run. Where did Lauren go? She said she was coming to help."

"Oh, Tom had some new doctor toy he wanted to show her." Maureen looked over from her rolling pin duties. She looked exhausted, and Bo felt bad for being so energized. She was having the opposite emotions right now of what she was supposed to, but there was no use pretending. It was exhausting to pretend. Gram was smiling a bit, but she still looked so sad and heartbroken. Bo wondered if her own hugs would be a magical fae solution like the matriarch Hestian's, but she doubted it. Well, she could make her hugs soothing, and she was definitely overflowing on the reserves after last night, but the thought of sensing Gram's sexual aura spike a bit at her was not on her agenda for the day.

"Where the science goes, so goes my wife." Bo rolled her eyes in amusement as she started to stretch her legs. "I shouldn't be gone long."

"You shouldn't need to be." Kenzi chuckled lightly and panicked, eyes wide, when she realized how loud she had been. "Succubus or not, neither of you should be standing let alone have the energy to go for a run."

"In my defense, it's going to be a short run. I'll be back before Briann wakes up. Tell Lauren when she gets back from geeking out?" Bo felt a familiar tingle start to surface again, so she had to bite her lip to hold it in. Kenzi nodded, smile big on her face now as Bo turned to run out the door. The day had started out good; now, they just had to get through the party tonight.

* * *

Lauren had planned everything, from the cheesy streamer that Bo insisted they have to the giant birthday cake. When she walked into the kitchen this morning and saw Kenzi just sitting there and staring instead of helping, Lauren had tasked her with stirring the basic ingredients while Tom showed her the new needle he had invented to help pierce scaly fae without doing any damage to their skin. Apparently, he was in the middle of research on how to relocate the scales and turn them into having the appearance of human skin while still maintaining their function. It was really quite brilliant, and Lauren was a bit impressed. If she had more time today, she probably would have taken him over to the lab so he could show her exactly what he had been working on; one thing Lauren could admit he was better at than her was his technological inventions. She was better at the science parts of it, but he was better at making the tools for the job. Since he worked with so many different fae, he had to discover new ways to make them look human, which often resulted in the need for new, fae specific tools.

Actually, Lauren was surprised they managed to get along; last time they met, both of their egos crashed together while working. Maybe it was because this time, no work was involved. This time, he had come to support his wife during the mourning process. He was good for Maureen and clearly made her happy. As someone who now understood what that meant, she was glad her baby sister found a good partner. Actually, all four of the Lewis kids had found and managed to marry the perfect partner for them. If Hadley hadn't lost her fae, she would still be happily married; well, happily married in her terms.

Lauren was surprised how difficult it was to plan a birthday party for a baby. The details of the party itself weren't difficult once she knew the invite list. It was the invite list that caused her so much grief, and a lot of that was Bo's backseat planning. One night, Lauren was sitting in bed making out the list of guests so she would have a good idea of what to put on her shopping list. Bo peeked over from playing games on Lauren's work tablet, which she had long since stopped arguing about, to add some running commentary and try to argue why certain people shouldn't be invited. Bo didn't want to invite Dyson and Emily, stating she didn't trust him to detach himself from the nymph long enough to come to Briann's birthday party without the other woman. Lauren understood why she was upset; an old friend wasn't getting to come to their daughter's birthday party because he was more concerned with getting laid.

It was more than that, and Bo knew it. Lauren didn't have to state that they should still invite Dyson and let him know that Emily wasn't welcome. She wanted to at least give him the option to choose. That was when Lauren gave _Bo_ an option; she could either invite Dyson to the birthday party or to a private dinner, just the four of them. She wasn't surprised when Bo chose the quieter offering. Lauren could admit she was glad she wouldn't have to deal with Emily today. The less stress and unprepared excitement, the better.

Of course that would mean something _would_ happen.

Lauren honestly didn't expect her mother to accept the invitation. She had really sent it out of kindness and to offer a figurative olive branch. When they were all sitting down to eat dinner, Angela Lewis entered into the dining room and everyone went quiet. Bo tensed more than Lauren did when the guests moved to let her mother sit down between Roger and Maureen. Given that there was a healing need to be around family, and the family was gathered already, she wasn't as surprised as she thought she should have been. For the most part, Angela Lewis stayed in her quiet, cold sorrow, Roger and Maureen sitting on either side of her throughout the entire evening. It was an odd thing to witness.

Once dinner was finished, presents were opened, and children and Kenzi were hyped up on birthday cake, everyone gathered in the grand living room again to watch the children play while the adults visited. Gram had declared the birthday party a celebration of life, and that it was one of the only times Hestians could break their mourning ritual. Even so, the general sadness that still emanated from her mother made Lauren feel sad in response. Vex was even keeping his distance instead of cursing at the woman like he said he would next time he saw her. Lauren didn't really want to comment that her father didn't show, but he was probably on some political business. He still had meetings and events to attend, even if his "daughter" had committed suicide earlier this week. The news was no doubt calling him strong and loyal to the country.

Briann fell over and started crying, looking around at the people surrounding her to see who would pick her up first. It was a fake cry; one to relay she was upset but had no other way to express her desires. When she lifted her arms in the air and reached her hands up, saying "Mom mom," of course Bo couldn't resist that. Who could resist the cuteness? Lauren smiled at her wife and daughter, hearing the camera snap again. She looked over at Kenzi, who had decided she was the official birthday photographer despite Lauren not asking her to be.

There were more pictures and videos taken of Lauren at this birthday party than there have been total over the last ten years. Nadia used to take pictures of her all the time, considering she was studying to be a photo journalist, but after that, Lauren kind of stayed in the background or off to the side when pictures were being taken. If she were going to ask anybody to take photos, it would have been Nadia, who stayed mostly quiet and talked to Trick more than anybody else at the party. The fact that Bo had been cool about Nadia being on the invite list showed some growth, even if she was reluctant of the last minute Tamsin invitation.

Bo tried her hand at taking several pictures the past few years, but Lauren was usually sneak attacked. Knowing Bo wanted to carry around a half naked picture of her in her purse was kind of exciting, but Lauren was more mad than anything, especially when her body, albeit in a small picture, was flashed around by Vex for the entire Dal to see. Okay, so the Dal wasn't that busy at the time, but there were enough fae in there to get a glimpse, and that both embarrassed and pissed Lauren off; Bo had slept in Briann's room that night. Seeing all of these pictures being taken now, Lauren realized they didn't have an official family photograph. They really should think about doing that. Gram had been hinting at it as a holiday gift this year, so she could add it to her wall, but Lauren hadn't really thought anything of until now.

Bo carried Briann with her instead of putting her back down to play. She was being overprotective and loving, and Lauren just sat there quietly on the loveseat by herself, watching the people around her. Bo walked over to Gram, handing Briann to her for some hugs. When the little girl wrapped her arms tight around her neck and squeezed, Gram's familiar warmth and natural happiness returned in her expression.

"Great party, Dr. Lewis. Can't say I was particularly excited to join the promising festivities of a baby's birthday, but the lack of screaming, vomiting, and food being thrown definitely shatters my illusions of what to expect should I warrant another invitation to one of these things." Tamsin sat down beside her on the couch, and Lauren bit her lip a bit. She wasn't really paying enough attention to notice the detective sit down next to her until she was already down. Looking at Tamsin now, Lauren could see her posture and expression screamed confident and comfortable, despite being in unfamiliar territory.

"You can call me Lauren, you know?" She looked over, feeling her cheeks flush a little without warning. Bo sensed it, too, so Lauren was just waiting for the confrontation coming soon or the lecture she would get later. Lauren didn't say anything about Bo's mild attraction to the woman, though she knew that was different. It was more the succubus recognizing power and beauty. "Dr. Lewis makes me sound so formal."

"Well, you are quite formal, Lauren. It's part of your appeal." Tamsin was giving her flirty eyes, and Lauren panicked a bit. She looked to make eye contact with her wife, who was glaring at them from across the room and trying her best to let Lauren handle the situation before she went off. "Some of us crave that order in our chaotic lives."

"You know Bo's going to kick you out, right?" Lauren couldn't hide her amusement despite her panic. She did not want a scene at her well planned, yet disrupted birthday party. Still, part of her had to know this was going to happen; why else would she have invited Tamsin? Lauren couldn't help but wonder exactly what she was thinking. Bo had been too busy arguing about Emily not being there that Tamsin got lost in the fold.

"She can try." Tamsin smirked, but her eyes remained hooded. At least she wasn't touching her; the looks were bad enough, but if the detective laid a hand on her, Bo really would cross the room. Lauren could admit the idea was a little thrilling, but she was definitely questioning her own sanity just at the idea of being excited to see that happen.

"Please don't make a scene at my daughter's birthday party. It's bad enough that we're in Hestian mourning; having a territory fight, too? Just, please don't." Lauren let out a slow breath, calming her nerves. "Thank you for everything you've done, but really, Detective, you need to stop."

"Tamsin, and like I said last night, I'd be a fool not to want to." She nodded her head in the crowd and Lauren followed to see she was gesturing toward Nadia. "Some people here are holding back, and I'm guessing Bo has already won that battle."

"I'm not. I mean, Nadia was never much of a threat; not really. At first, sure, but it's no worse than Bo getting jealous when I have meetings with Evony." Lauren rolled her eyes. She realized she never really had a friend outside of Bo's circle who she hadn't slept with before. She now knew why she was so adamant on keeping Tamsin included, despite the danger it presented. "It's no worse than what I feel when she's around Dyson."

"Yeah, we need to get rid of that piece of work he's traipsing around with; she is destroying him." Tamsin probably saw more of what was happening with Dyson than anyone else; even though she mentioned that she wasn't happy about having a new partner at first, apparently, they had gotten used to working together despite their different clan alliances. "You think a succubus is bad, try dating a nymph. They suck your soul completely and take everything away from you, and that's without using their powers."

"I know. I dated her, too." Lauren took a deep breath, glad to see that Bo had relaxed a little. The shift in conversation must have changed their auras to the point where Bo didn't feel as threatened, though she did keep stealing glances their way. Lauren looked over to see Tamsin was amused and waiting to hear the story, not pushing her but letting her know she was willing to listen. Not knowing why, Lauren opened up. "When I first started working with the Light fae, I was miserable and had no idea how serious they were about fae only using humans for food. I was lonely and questioning my decision to join, and Emily was nice and kept flirting with me, so we ended up sleeping together a few times. She offered a relationship to me, but I had no idea what that meant. I was human, she got bored, so she dumped me for Dyson. It's why I'm sure Dyson has only negative things to say about me, which is why I'm surprised you're not on the anti-Lauren wagon. He never believed that Emily and I were together, despite her being clear about it. Part of me thinks she was manipulating him and making him think that. He's strong, but when it comes to women, he's an idiot."

"Tell me about it." Tamsin chuckled, letting Lauren know there was at least once an attraction there between the detectives.

"The only good decision he ever made was dating Bo. To quote you, he would have been a fool not to want to." Lauren smiled over at her wife, who smiled in return. There was a sudden shift in the room, and the threat of a fight was definitely now out of the question. Bo seemed to be satisfied for the moment that Tamsin wasn't a problem. "When I started dating Bo, you can imagine how that went over with him. I can't say I was too happy to hear they had dated."

"Dyson gets around and doesn't care who he hurts in the process." Tamsin said it so casually that Lauren suspected she had seen this firsthand, though the lack of malice meant she wasn't one of the hurt parties. That didn't mean nothing ever happened between them; just that Tamsin didn't take it to heart. She was strong and independent; she was a warrior. There was no doubt she had her emotions locked down tighter than Angela Lewis only ever dreamed of doing.

"I call it well traveled." Lauren smirked. She had no idea why she felt so comfortable around this woman; they had only known each other for a week. Maybe it was her unacknowledged need for a friend with which she had no history. Maybe it was being surrounded by Hestians and family. Maybe it was because she had finally learned to let people in; she was still cautious despite this, though. She didn't trust Tamsin completely, and maybe it was her teenage crush on the woman. Whatever it was, Lauren decided to trust her gut. "I'm sure you've heard of the trip we have to make in a few weeks."

"Your daughter's birth rite quest, yes. You mentioned it, and Vex can't seem to shut up about going with you." Tamsin bit her lip, which was odd to see her in a state of anticipation. Lauren really hoped they could get over the mutual crush thing so that Bo would allow the friendship without any stabbing involved. "You want me to go with you."

"Yes, actually. I'm not sure if you can get the time off at work, but I would feel better having strong fae as backup." Lauren was still trying to decide who should go with them, especially since she didn't have much to go on for what to expect. She wanted to be prepared for anything, and having people who could fight for them, like Vex and Tamsin, would definitely be good.

"You think I'm strong, huh?" Tamsin's flirtiness resurfaced, so naturally, Bo's jealousy resurfaced. "I'll request the time. I'd be happy to help, and I'm sure the Morrigan will be over the moon to know I'm doing my job."

"Right, infiltrating the future queen's inner circle so Evony has a chance at keeping some of her power. Does she know you two don't get along?" Lauren chuckled a little. She hadn't really processed this from last night, but it made perfect sense. The fact that Lauren was allowing the infiltration to happen was what surprised her most. She was usually so protective herself over Bo and her family. Since Valkyries didn't have powers of persuasion, she couldn't blame it on that. "We should probably talk about that."

"And we will. For now, get back to your daughter, Lauren." Tamsin gestured toward the little baby, who was currently crawling over to her. Lauren couldn't help but smile; she and Bo were both suckers for this kid.

"See how that sounds better than Dr. Lewis? Less formal." She smiled before standing from the couch to pick up her daughter. She knew it was time to officially confront her mother, and it didn't pass her notice that she planned on using Briann as a shield.

Bo watched her walk over, quietly asking if she wanted help, but Lauren smiled forlornly and shook her head. When she got to her mother, Roger and Maureen looked at each other and seemed to know what was coming, so they left the two of them alone. Lauren sat down next to her. This strong woman, who had been so cold, was doing a decent job of hiding just how hurt she really must feel right now. Seeing how Briann had warmed Gram earlier, Lauren decided to try something by encouraging her daughter to do the same with her grandmother. Briann just stared at Angela Lewis like she was a stranger and turned around to squeeze Lauren's neck tighter instead; it didn't seem to surprise either of them.

"She doesn't know you; that's all." Lauren knew the explanation wasn't needed, but it made for a good ice breaker. "Actually, I don't really know you, either, when it comes down to it. I've spent so much time being angry at you that I never let myself ask why you kept me on such a tight leash but kept me at such a hard, cold distance."

"That's what kids do to their parents. They get angry at them." Angela seemed to come alive a little more as she sat there. For some reason, it felt like her presence brought real life into her mother, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet through most of the night. Every once in a while, Lauren would notice her in conversation with her brother and sister, but mostly, she had remained silent and taken on the role that was usually reserved for Lauren at the dinner table. "I only did what was necessary when it involved my children. Call me a bad mother all you want to, but I did what was best."

"No, not what was best; just what you thought was. No child should ever feel like they aren't loved." Lauren realized her anger was now only a quiet hum. This seemed to surprise her mother, too. "I wouldn't be where I am right now, with Bo, celebrating our child's first birthday, unless my life had happened exactly as it did, so thank you. I know that was hard for you to do to me, and I'm truly grateful for who I am. I'm sorry about Hadley and everything that has happened."

"Lauren?" Her mother seemed like she didn't want to say something but knew she had to; Lauren could relate, since this whole conversation was about that. "You were never not loved."

"I know that now, but fifteen year old me? The one who really needed her mother? Tell that to her." Lauren clenched her jaw and tried to stop from saying anything she would regret. Making her mother feel bad or guilty wasn't really her intention, but she could admit she did want to see it happen. That fifteen year old girl wanted to see that. Thirty four year old Lauren just wanted to make peace. Now that the family secrets were out in the open, she wanted to give Angela Lewis the same opportunity Gram had. After all, those two had always fought, but Lauren was still allowed to have a great relationship with her grandmother. Since her mother was Briann's only living grandmother now, Lauren didn't want that relationship to go to waste. "I want to see you more."

"That's not…"

"No, listen." Lauren steeled her jaw and did what Bo called her badass look, which usually left no room for argument. Her mother arched a challenging eyebrow in response, but she stayed quiet and allowed it. "I'm not asking you to suddenly change. That's the last thing I expect. I'm asking for Briann's sake; you are her only grandmother, and I don't want her to be mad at me for keeping her from you. I'm making the offer; it's up to you to accept."

"My, my, the succubus has really given you some brass balls." Her mother seemed like she was proud about this. "I'm not going to give you an answer right now; not while I am mourning for my daughter."

"I understand." And Lauren did. She didn't want her mother to make the decision just to change her mind when everything went back to normal. Still, she knew that she never would have approached her if their roles weren't reversed tonight.

"We can discuss this more after you return from your trip, but you know I can't make any promises." Her mother was being honest, but Lauren also suspected that she wouldn't say no. The reality of her mother being in her life finally clicked in her mind, and Lauren became scared. She didn't want her daughter to feel that same rejection she did, but she had to give the chance. That was definitely something Bo had given her. "I have something for you, in the car. One last box. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it just yet, but you will need the contents for your trip."

"The contents?"

"You are my firstborn, Lauren, human or not, you have a birth rite, too." Angela cleared her throat, clearly uncomfortable now. "I can't hide it from you forever, especially now that you'll be sitting on the throne soon."

"That won't happen for at least another seventeen years. Why are you bringing this to me now? It seems unlike you to just give me something like this without a hidden agenda." Lauren knew there was a lot she would have to deal with herself if she was going to be seeing her mother more often.

"You really don't feel it, do you?" She actually seemed surprised at this, which only made Lauren a blend of cautious and intrigued.

"Feel what, and don't play cryptic with me. I'm done with cryptic. We get enough of that at breakfast every morning since we moved in here." She knew that plea wouldn't work, but it never hurt to try. Of course her mother wouldn't give her a straight answer.

"Bo came back from death; how do you think that happened?"

"I've been trying to figure it out since it happened. So has Trick."

"There is only one way to revive a succubus; you know that." Her mother let that sink in for a moment. Lauren recalled everything she had read about the succubus and knew chi was the only way to heal. She knew that, but she could never figure out how Bo fed if she was dead or how she had gotten to the Dal in her unanimated state.

"Are you saying Bo fed?"

"I'm saying that Bo _was_ fed. Since Mary Krane is still among the living, that only leaves one possible savior." Angela arched an eyebrow, waiting for Lauren to process. It was clear she wasn't just going to give her the answer. This was what she did when Lauren was little, too; it was a learning game. Lauren had always thought it was fun as a little girl and hadn't realized it was the fae cryptic that had surrounded her for her entire life.

"A savior." Lauren knew the answer was there; when it clicked, she looked up at her mother, eyes wide in realization, before she stood from the couch. "Excuse me. I need to talk to Bo."

"I suppose you do. I'll leave that box with your grandmother." Her mother seemed pleased with herself, and Lauren found she wanted to actually thank her for helping. It was an odd feeling to be grateful to her mother, but something else was controlling her right now. Lauren nodded her quiet acceptance and thanks before bundling Briann tighter in her arms and walking to Bo, trying not to look panicked or excited. Lauren always loved the feeling of finding the answer after a long search. Bo sensed it, too, and just stood there waiting as she talked to Gram and Kenzi.

"I know." Lauren didn't mean to sound so intense, but she needed to talk in private. The good host in her wasn't allowing for them to disappear, so her needs were battling themselves. "I know."

"You know?" Bo seemed to panic, too. "I didn't mean to. I promise. It was only one peanut butter sandwich; I couldn't resist. It's Kenzi's fault!"

"Hey! Don't throw me under the bus because you're weak." Kenzi went to grab Briann from Lauren, probably sensing a fight was coming. Briann slid right out of Lauren's arms and into her Aunt Kenzi's. "Besides, she's not talking about that."

"Peanut butter? What? No." Lauren solved the rash mini mystery she had a few weeks ago, but that wasn't what was pressing right now. She lowered her voice and hugged Bo so nobody would pay any attention. "I know why you're still alive."

"You do?" Bo tensed, no doubt unprepared for that. "How?"

"You finally got something you've always wanted." Lauren squeezed tighter, not really wanting to reveal this here but knowing she had to tell Bo immediately. She could have waited until they were alone, but this was too big. "You met your father."


	23. Dinner for Schmucks

Bo had spent the past week looking over everything Lauren, Trick, and Gram could give her on Samael. She made several trips to Lachlan, too. They had a few discussions, and he had even seemed a little jealous that she got to meet him, even if she didn't remember the actual event.

He was the savior of the succubi. Trick said it made perfect sense, especially considering who Bo was. She was more than just a succubus to Samael; she was his daughter, so it was logical that he would be following her into battle like that. Even though Bo didn't know the man, only the stories she read about him, she felt somehow safer knowing that her father was actually out there protecting her somehow in his spirited state.

Of all places to get this information, it was Angela Lewis, who hated Bo. At least that was what it felt like; she definitely didn't like her. Lauren told her about the conversation they had at Briann's birthday party, and Bo recognized this was the woman's way of making herself relevant. They already had Gram and Trick for the cryptic guides; they didn't need another. Still, if Lauren could be civil, then so could Bo. It just unnerved Bo that this woman knew how to play her daughter, since she had been the one to raise her. Angela having that power over Lauren was not something Bo liked at all. She planned on locking that down quicker than most. If Angela Lewis was suddenly sucking up because of some power trip, Bo would be more than happy to tell her that her only role in the new rule would be as Briann's grandmother. Even then, she would be closely watched.

Bo had been so preoocupied with learning more about her father and how she came back to life that she had forgotten about the dinner tonight. Lauren reminded her several times, but she would get sidetracked, believing that she still had time to prepare. When she walked into the clubhouse to find Lauren setting up the dinner table and Kenzi packing Briann to take back to the farm for the night, Bo felt way overwhelmed. She was not ready for this.

Lauren kissed her cheek in greeting, as she placed silverware in their neat manner. Bo had seen Dyson eat food with his fingers and get crumbs in his beard and moustache, so she highly doubted he would know what to do with the fancy place setting and three different forks. Emily was a savage, so she probably didn't know what a fork even was.

Two things Bo did take note of was how delicious the clubhouse smelled and how amazing her wife looked. For a second, she felt a glimpse of anger that Lauren would dress up to impress Emily, but that seemed silly. This was casual fancy for Lauren; the tight, dark jeans and loose fitting blouse were extremely appealing on her body, but she still managed to pull off the perfect mixture of caring and not caring.

When she looked closer, Bo noticed the Ash's pendant around Lauren's neck. She didn't realize that it hadn't been there for quite some time until she saw it again now. Bo knew she had to go upstairs and get ready, though she did toy with leaving the ogre's blood on her shirt and hands just to prove a point of how badass and dangerous she could be. Nobody needed to know it was harmless sparring.

Kenzi handed her Briann, and Bo immediately went into snuggle mode. It was going to be the first night they would stay in a place separate from their daughter. They would be an hour from her, too. Bo felt her panic return again; this was one of those things she had successfully forgotten in her pursuit of Samael knowledge. She didn't want to remember that they were leaving their daughter because then she had to admit how helpless she felt at the idea. The actual event being here was scary, but she had other scarier things about to happen, so that dulled the worry some. It was probably why Lauren bundled these events together.

"You have about one hour before they get here, though I suspect they'll be late. Emily was never on time for anything; I'd like to say it's a power play, but it's actually just that she's lazy. It always drove me insane." Lauren shrugged as she took in Bo's appearance. "Oh, Bo, you're hurt. You need to heal." Lauren started to unbutton her jeans but Bo moved forward to stop her movement. She wasn't sure Kenzi would appreciate it, and this only showed just how nervous Lauren really was about tonight. She wasn't even paying attention to her surroundings as much as normal.

"Woah, doc! Keep your pants on." Kenzi raised her hand to shield Briann's eyes, who thought it was funny and just chuckled at her aunt.

"I'll be fine, and besides, the last thing I want is for Dyson and Emily to sense the sex on us." Bo had a mental image of how the dinner would go if that were to happen, and she couldn't stop her eyes from flashing. "On second thought, maybe I hurt myself a little more than I thought and could use some of that special brand of doctoring only you can give me."

"Just let me check on dinner? I don't mind touching up my makeup or hair. We don't have that much time to get things done, even if they're late." Lauren ran her hand against Bo's forearm before retreating into the kitchen. Bo just nodded as she handed Briann back to Kenzi. The best way to ensure that the bond was at its strongest was to do some physical bonding, and Lauren must know this, too, which is why she offered at all despite the tight schedule. Bo liked the idea. Emily would sense that Lauren was truly hers and might back off. She didn't think that was realistic, since the nymph was a notorious bitch, but at least she wouldn't be able to ignore that Lauren was Bo's and vice versa.

"How is she?" Bo turned to her best friend, curious if she had noticed anything with her outsider observation skills. Even though Bo had that nifty bond insight into her wife, she still missed quite a bit.

"She's busy right now, so she's fine, but once they arrive, I'm not sure what'll happen. If what you've told me about this Emily chick is all true, then I hope you have some sharp weapons conveniently tucked into your Batman utility belt." Kenzi taking away Briann from them for the first time was no doubt not helping matters any, either. Lauren's raw anxiety was a combination of the dinner and leaving Briann. Bo definitely understood. "I'm not encouraging you to dismember any Light Fae security guards, but if a finger or two happens to fall off of her hand because she has them in places they shouldn't be, I don't mind telling Lachlan her fingers just fell off on accident if he asks."

"Thanks, Kenz." Bo ran her hand down Briann's soft hair. She would need her first haircut soon; she was getting that wavy dark hair that Bo had as a child. "Please call even if she sneezes funny or looks at her panda bear Bob the wrong way. I have Lauren's SUV, so I can reach 60 without passing out from the fumes."

"She'll be fine, Bo. If I can do it, you can do it. Alexie isn't traumatized by me taking a night or two off, leaving him with you two. It's necessary sometimes, though I do wish you would have taken your first free pass for something a little more exciting than dinner with Dyson and his lady. When this insane dinner is over, you and the doc will need time to process. As your best friend, I just happen to have the inside scoop on what processing things usually means for you." Kenzi smirked slightly as she shouldered the overnight bag Lauren must have packed. Bo felt bad that her wife was here doing all of the work while she was off beating up an ogre because she had needed to release her anger when she was at the compound. "Just like I can tell processing is on your mind right now. At least the teenage horniness was replaced with just general horniness, thank goodness for small miracles. I didn't think I could sit through another dinner with you two being all giggly and playing footsie under the table."

"Hey, it got us out of attending a lot of depressed Hestian ritual stuff this week. Besides, we have to build up reserves now. It'll be hard to sneak away for some alone time when we're all traipsing around Europe together." Bo took a deep breath and bit her lip when she noticed Lauren coming back to them. "You better go now before both of us get too anxious and make you stay for dinner."

"Gotcha. I'm out." Kenzi shouldered the overnight bag and seemed to grip Briann tighter before moving her around. "Say goodbye to your moms. I can't promise they won't have any fun without you, but they will definitely prefer you throwing spaghetti in their hair to their dinner party tonight."

"Language, Kenzi." Lauren was smiling, but Bo looked over to see how much her wife was slightly shaking. She was doing a good job of holding her emotions in on her face, but her body was twitching a bit. Kenzi wouldn't notice, and Bo wouldn't have even noticed if she didn't have the bond clueing her in.

"Sorry, your highness." Kenzi rolled her eyes before walking to the door. Bo tried not to focus on her daughter's sad eyes as she was escorted through the door. When Bo looked over at her wife, she noticed that Lauren looked like she wanted to cry, too.

"Hey, it'll be okay." Bo moved closer to pull Lauren into a tight embrace. She heard Lauren sniffling and felt her shaking now. "Hey, Lauren, Kenzi is good with her, and Hale and Gram will be there. If you want me to call Vex, or hell, I'll even call Tamsin, I will, if you want extra backup at the farm tonight, just tell me."

"It's not that. I just…I didn't realize how hard this was going to be." Lauren pulled out of the embrace but kept her arms around Bo, who did the same. "She just turned one, Bo. Normal parents would have done this already several times. Are we being too clingy?"

"Well, nobody has ever accused us of being normal. Plus, who gets to decide how we raise our child? We do. There are a lot of things against us, so it's okay to be extra cautious." Bo took a deep breath and smiled at her wife. Seeing Lauren so affected by this made Bo forget some of her own tension. "We can forget the sex. I'm not really hurt that badly; nothing a bandage and aspirin won't cure. We should probably finish getting ready and prepare ourselves anyways. What do you need me to do?"

"Take off your shirt." Lauren's aura wasn't reading particularly sexual; it was maybe a little higher than her average when they were together, but nothing to alert Bo that sex was the main thing on her wife's brain. "You'll need to change anyways, maybe take a shower. This isn't a fancy dinner party. It's just a 'let's a call a truce' dinner."

"You're too nice, Lauren." Bo leaned forward in the loose embrace and placed a soft, warm kiss against Lauren's throat. "You know it's okay to be pissed, right? You don't have to make nice with her; you don't owe her anything, and Dyson will eventually get his head out her ass…I hope."

"I know. It's something I need to do, though. I'm tired of being mad." Lauren sighed a bit and Bo felt her swallow as she placed another kiss just below her ear. "I'm ready. I am. It just seems so strange. Even with all of our crazy, I never would have expected Emily to resurface."

"Yeah, well, she was more likely to come back than Nadia, and she's a fixture in our lives now, too. I'm starting to consider tracking down those one night stands and your first girlfriend, just so I can have the complete set." Bo moved her hands to run them underneath Lauren's blouse and up her back.

"Yeah, but dating Dyson again? It feels like an intentional move. After we broke up, she wasn't with him long. Something doesn't add up about the whole thing." Lauren shivered a little, but at least her shakiness had subsided. "Plus, Dyson looked bad. We just abandoned him to her because we didn't want to deal with her, and that makes us bad. What has she even been doing to him? I know nymphs are notorious for sucking a person's soul, but Emily knows she's not allowed to do that to another fae. Why would she blatantly disregard the rules when she's one of the people charged with upholding them?"

"Well, we're about to find out." Bo looked over at the clock on the stove and bit her lip. She calculated the time and made a general game plan. If they kept their pants on, they were more likely to stay on task and not get lost in the lust. Whenever Bo needed to heal, even just a minor cut, or when Lauren needed to relax, they had a tendency to get lost in the other and lose track of time. "If we hurry, I can think of a few things to help you relax."

"The words 'hurry' and 'relax' used in a sentence together do not make me believe any relaxing would be accomplished." Regardless, Lauren smirked with that sexy grin and doe eyes that instantly made Bo tense in other places. "Let's go get you healed, succubus. We want you in top form for tonight."

"Yes, ma'am." Bo pulled her hands from underneath Lauren's shirt so that she could hold her head in place as she kissed her. Sometimes, Bo felt like she couldn't kiss her strongly enough.

"Mmm, Bo…." Lauren pulled their lips apart, even though Bo kept kissing down the offered neck and moved one arm to hold her body in place. "I have to pull dinner out of the oven in forty minutes, and I still need to prep the salad."

"I can be quick. We don't even have to go upstairs, if you don't want." Bo started to guide them back to the couch, only one thing on her mind now. She loved her defense mechanisms sometimes, especially when Lauren smelled so delicious.

"I know you can be quick, but Bo…" Lauren stopped their movements and started to panic again. Bo stopped to register what the problem was, trying to rein in her lust-filled eyes and suddenly labored breathing. "Bo…it's…we should go someplace else."

"Huh?" She looked at her wife to see the panic start to form again. So much for relaxation. "What's wrong? Did I cut your lip again?"

"No, you're fine, Bo. I just can't…do that here." Lauren looked over into the living space, so Bo followed her line of sight to the couch. There was a sheet covering the dark red sofa. How could she be so stupid? Lauren had given her one job this week to prepare for this evening. She had completely forgotten to get rid of this couch and bring in a new one. Of course Lauren would wait on her; she usually did the things she was asked, even if she was knee deep and concentrated on other things.

"I'm so sorry, Laur. Let me call Vex to come help me move this." Bo extracted herself from Lauren's body and went to pull her phone from her pocket. "I can have this out of here before they get here."

"Bo, it's…we're not going to be in this space. It's okay. I just can't feel sexy in the same area where my sister killed herself." Lauren cleared her throat before taking a deep breath. "I'm just saying let's go upstairs."

"You sure? Vex can be here in fifteen minutes. We can have it moved before you even have to pull dinner out of the oven. We can even be finished with our thing before he gets here." Bo looked down to see Lauren hold out her hand. Actually relaxing a bit, she moved back toward her wife and folded their hands together. Lauren pulled her closer and pushed her hair from her face.

"It's okay, Bo. Leave it for now. We can deal with it in the morning." Lauren smiled a bit, though Bo did note it wasn't a purely happy smile. "Who knows? Maybe it will encourage them to not stick around long after dinner."

"Maybe." Bo started to move to the stairs, pulling Lauren along closely behind her. If they were actually going to do this, then they needed to hurry. Otherwise, that hickey she planned on placing on Lauren's neck for the others to see would not get to happen, and Bo wanted every advantage in this fight. Emily could flirt and make rude comments to her heart's content, but there would be no questioning who Lauren was going to bed with tonight and forever.

* * *

Lauren couldn't tell if her face was flushed from the anticipation of her guests arriving soon, the heat from the oven where she just pulled out the lamb rack roast and vegetables, or the fact that Bo had just made true to her promise on hurried relaxation. Whichever it was, Lauren was not exactly relaxed now. Those brief seconds when she reached her climax and the seconds before and after were pleasing; even the six or seven minutes she spent bringing Bo to the same unimpressed climax had occupied her mind. When Bo exchanged chi with her, Lauren felt a little wobbly and lust-filled for another few seconds, but when Bo was in the shower and Lauren was tossing her wife's bloodied and torn clothes in the trash bin downstairs, she could only stare at the kitchen wall until the shower upstairs turned off and the temperature timer went off next to the oven.

When she heard a knock at the door, she really panicked. She hadn't taken the trash out yet and still had to brush her hair out where Bo mussed it a little when pushing her against the wall in the bathroom a bit ago.

They were early.

Lauren was not prepared for that. She was frozen in place, staring at the wall she had built so long ago. At least she had also put a lock on the door, so they wouldn't just barge in like people did at this place once upon a time. Bo (and especially Kenzi) had shown her anger a little at the lock on the door, stating that she always wanted to have an open door policy. When they started having sex outside of the bedroom, Bo understood that privacy was a must. Kenzi only had to catch them once in the kitchen, doing something other than eating or making dinner, and there were never any more complaints.

Another knock. This time, Lauren was snapped to attention as she hurriedly grabbed the bag of trash. She didn't want to leave the garbage out in the open; not when it had all the prep work done for dinner and Bo's tattered clothes in there. Dyson would probably smell the blood and ask too many questions. Lauren had already done that; all Bo had done was spar with an ogre at the compound, claiming she needed to get out some frustration since she wasn't getting much in terms of answers during her research.

Another knock. This time, Lauren couldn't ignore it, especially when Emily yelled on the other side for someone to answer the damn door.

Bo came bouncing down the stairs, obviously ready for battle. She had pulled her wet hair back and donned a form-fitting red tank top and tight black jeans. Lauren usually would appreciate her wife's body in this, but she was too focused on other things. Bo's confident expression and swagger screamed that she had just gotten laid, even if it wasn't a phenomenal coupling. It had apparently served its purpose, though. The cut above Bo's eye and the bruising surrounding it were nonexistent now.

"Hey, will you run this trash out to the curb?" Lauren still ignored the now insistent and annoying pounding on the door. Normally, she would be excited that somebody actually did something on time.

"Of course. Let me throw on my shoes." Bo slipped on her old running sneakers that were by the yoga mats in the living room. Lauren had been too busy looking at other parts of her wife's body, particularly the ample cleavage to notice that she was wearing socks, too.

"Can't you…put on a shirt or something?" Lauren cleared her throat, both of them ignoring the lust filled thoughts that snuck up on her at seeing said cleavage. "Not that I'm complaining, but do you think it's wise dangling the bait?"

"Trust me, babe, the girls are going to be the last thing on anyone's mind tonight." Bo smirked, seeming to enjoy the random attention.

"Well, Dyson may not be mated to you anymore, but even Emily won't be able to avoid those."

"She's already ramped to ten out there, and it's not because of these." Bo smirked even bigger as she moved closer to Lauren, flirty look on her face as she picked up the trash bag beside her. "My, my. You realize this means you're not allowed to get on me for being territorial anymore? I don't think I've ever seen you jealous like this."

"It's not like that. I just don't want anything to go wrong tonight, and when those come out, badness usually happens. Did you learn nothing from your encounters with my Uncle Stephen at four in the morning?" Lauren had been shaken into wakefulness the first time it happened, but apparently, Bo was flashed by him again last month when he had stayed over to supposedly spend time with Gram, his mother. She was actually amused to find it was because his wife kicked him out of the house that night.

"Say what you want, doctor. You just showed your jealous side, and I kind of liked it." Bo arched an eyebrow and sent a succubus wave of arousal down Lauren's arm as she shifted the trash bag to her other hand. She leaned over to place a kiss on Lauren's lips, which she couldn't refuse now if she wanted to thanks to her increased sex drive.

"Dammit, Bo. Not the right time." Still, she couldn't hide her smirk or dilated eyes. Bo just smiled big in return before placing one last kiss on her cheek. The pounding at the door was more than annoying now. "Stop avoiding. Take out the trash and let them in."

"Yes, ma'am." Bo couldn't resist, as she bounced a bit to the door's hallway. When she was out of sight, Lauren heard the door open and a lot of noise and muffled greetings. From sensing Bo's reaction, whatever Emily said to her was not pleasant. Seconds later, Dyson and Emily came into view.

"Point me to the corkscrew and let's get this party started." Emily came in, Dyson trailing behind her like a little lost puppy. That was definitely not the Dyson that Lauren knew; if possible, he looked even worse than he did the last time she saw him. His curly hair was long and growing into an afro almost. His beard was wild and untamed. "Hey, gorgeous. I hope you don't mind red. I brought two bottles, hoping I could loosen you up a little. Maybe relive the things that alcohol brings out in you."

"Hey, Dyson." Lauren chose to ignore the woman, feeling her jaw tense already. She handed the corkscrew to Emily, who made sure to brush up against her and stand way too close. Lauren knew the second Bo entered into the room because Emily growled lowly, and Bo went into attack mode. Raising her voice and standing her ground, Lauren decided to be the authority here. "Okay, this dinner is to make nice. If you can't handle it, then you leave now. For Dyson's sake, I hope you don't and settle down." Lauren moved her eye contact over to her wife. "That means both of you."

"She started it." Bo deflated and pouted a bit.

"Succubitch," Emily said under her breath.

"Hey! I'm not kidding." Lauren didn't realize she had it in her to yell at this woman. Bo had seen this side of her before often enough, but Lauren had always been submissive to Emily. She wasn't now, though. "Let's make one thing clear. I am married to Bo. We are happy. She gives me everything I need and then some, and I will not be slumming it with you."

"Ohmygod, did you just use my own line against me?" Emily seemed equally shocked and amused. "I like this new Lauren. If I'd known this about you, I would have held on just a little bit longer."

"I mean it, Emily. Bo is my wife, this is our home, and Dyson is our friend. You are a guest here, and I have no problems telling you to leave." Lauren closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, she noticed Bo's eyes flashing blue a bit. Of course she would react to badass Lauren.

"Your dad was right. You are special, and that is dangerous to the cause." Emily moved to sit down at the dinner table, deciding where she was going to sit, which was across from Dyson who had sat down during the heated exchange. Lauren made it a point to sit down next to Dyson instead of what Emily clearly was trying to accomplish. Bo smirked and her eyes flashed blue again before she joined them. "Fine. I can call a truce."

"Answer one thing first, and be honest because I'll know if you're lying." Lauren was still heated a bit and was doing her best to show her cool. "What are you doing to Dyson?"

"I can handle myself." Dyson clearly couldn't, though. His eyes were vacant and his body was shaking.

"To Dyson? Oh, come on, Lauren. I thought you were the smart one." Emily leaned back in her seat, and Lauren's eyes widened when Bo gripped her fork a little too tightly. She sent a warning glance to her wife, who loosened her grip and pouted again. "I'm a nymph, what do you think I'm doing to Dyson?"

"You know better than to use your powers on another fae. Why him? Why now?"

"Like I'm going to tell you that? I'm not stupid. I know I'm just the subpar villain to you in a family tree of villains. I'm not giving away the leader of the resistance. Nice try, though. It's not that kind of story." Emily looked wild in that moment; her eyes and expression were dangerous. "I wondered how long it would take you to figure out I was sent to you. Just like Nadia."

"You're insane." Lauren felt unsafe and wished she had at least let Bo keep a knife close. The air in the room was even more tense than either of them could have predicted. "I think you should leave."

"Fine." Emily stood, not even seeming to care that they hadn't even touched a single bit of food. "Come, Dyson."

"No, Dyson stays." It was Bo's turn to take point now. Dyson had stood on command, so all of them were standing around the dinner table now. Lauren was glad for it; she didn't want to think what would happen if Dyson went with Emily right now.

"No, Dyson, come." Emily walked to the hallway, snapping her fingers and pointing down to the ground next to her. She talked to him like Kenzi talked to that stray dog they kept for two weeks before it growled at Alexie.

"No, Bo's right. Dyson, you can stay with us." Lauren moved over to Dyson, placing her hand lightly against his arm to know it was okay. She didn't have any fae powers; all she had was a look and calming gesture. He would be high on nymph pheromones and acting like an addict scared his supplier was leaving, which is why it shocked her when Bo moved to push Emily out of the door without him and Dyson stayed instead of following. She could hear the verbal fight and knew there would be a physical fight happening soon, but she stayed with Dyson. She had to know he was okay. "Here, let's have dinner. You look hungry. Have you been eating?"

"I'm fine, Dr. Lewis." He sounded the opposite of fine. His pride was wounded, and she could understand. She wasn't ready to process that Emily openly admitted she was sent to her, and she definitely wasn't ready to process her ramblings about a resistance and Nadia. Now, she had to focus on Dyson.

"Since when am I Dr. Lewis to you?" She smirked a bit and relaxed when she saw him smirk a bit in return. At least it was a start. The squeal of tires peeling outside meant Bo would be back in a second. "Bo's coming. Stay with us tonight? You can sleep in Kenzi's room. I know you're not going to listen, but this is a good thing."

"What's a good thing?" Bo came to sit back in her chair, cracking the wood a little from the rough landing. Lauren rolled her eyes at the new bruise and cuts on her wife's face. It would be hard to heal her tonight if they were trying to watch over Dyson. The last thing his wolf senses needed right now was a reminder of sex. "Kicking her ass out of here?"

"Let's eat and clean up." Lauren placed a hand on Dyson's back, and he just stared down at her with those vacant eyes. There was a spark of the man she knew in there, and that was what was holding him together right now. They joined Bo at the dinner table, and Lauren nodded for Bo to hand Emily's full plate of food over to Dyson after he had devoured his. He ate that serving a little slower, actually making a conscious effort to chew instead of inhaling.

"You seem better now. What exactly does a nymph do?" Bo looked from Dyson over to Lauren, who took a deep breath.

"You know how you can coerce people into loving you just by a touch?" She waited for Bo to nod her understanding, which was immediate, but Lauren looked over to make sure Dyson was listening, too, just in case he wasn't aware what was happening to him. She wanted to let him know it was temporary, and that he would be himself again soon. "Nymphs do something similar, except their powers of persuasion literally strip a person's soul from them. They are owned and dominated and will believe and do anything their nymph tells them. It's why there are cultures who still worship nymphs. They're not allowed to use their powers on fae because the effects are tenfold."

"How long before it wears off?" Bo cleared her throat, trying not to be obvious about nodding at Dyson.

"A few days. Maybe a week. It depends on how long he was under her thrall, and it definitely depends on if we can keep him away from her. That's the hard part; a nymph's call can be heard from anywhere, and it is almost impossible to resist."

"Explains why you gave in so easily." Bo widened her eyes, seemingly just now registering what was said earlier. "She was sent to you. The resistance? What the hell is that?"

"It's a rumor started decades ago. They are apparently some group of fae who do not like how the world is changing and want to plan a war against humankind to return it to its more primitive days." Lauren remembered reading about it in one of the books the former Ash had given her when she first started. She had always thought it was a faery tale, much like Lilith was, to scare the fae into listening to orders. Of course, Lilith turned out to be real, so why not the resistance? Emily seemed convinced it did. "It's just rumors, though. Nobody has ever confirmed or denied it exists."

"It's very much real." Dyson swallowed the food he had stored in his cheeks, looking every bit the savage wolf he was. "She wasn't kidding."

"So, yay, another big bad. Why am I even surprised?" Bo flared her hand into the air in a very Kenzi move. "What's this have to do with your dad, though? She kept saying your dad said you were dangerous. Was he the one who sent her to you? Why would he do that?"

"That doesn't make sense. My dad is human. I've confirmed that several times. If the resistance does exist…"

"It does." Dyson went back to his second serving of lamb, saying it casually like it wasn't a big deal anymore.

"If it does…" Lauren narrowed her eyes at him. She had to remember to be extra patient with him right now. "…then they wouldn't let a human in; at least not one that could give any orders like that."

"Then, why would she mention him? That was too random to be a coincidence, and why was she so convinced that you knew about this and her all of a sudden?" Bo must have decided she was hungry, too, because she started to fork off some of the roast on her plate.

"I honestly don't know." Lauren wanted to ignore that her dad was even mentioned. The little girl in her wanted to somehow cover up something without even knowing he did anything wrong. The angry and confused woman in her wanted to drive over there and demand answers. The logical doctor in her told her both would be a bad idea. They needed to know more about this before even confronting anybody, even her dad. "I'm going to call Tamsin; see if she'll stay and help keep watch over Dyson tonight."

"I don't need her." Dyson snarled and growled a bit. Lauren felt like she should be frightened, but she was too concerned right now to react to him. In his defense, he did look apologetic after he did it.

"I don't want to restrain you, Dyson. That'll make it worse. I know this sucks for you, and I know the last thing in the world you probably want right now is to be here, especially with me, but let me help you, okay? Let us help you?" Lauren watched as he was already trying to fight the thrall. Emily had him under deep, and it was only testament to how strong he really was that he could resist this much. "Please?" He just steeled his jaw and nodded lightly in response, avoiding eye contact by staring down at his second plate. She didn't want to scare him by sounding relieved, so she decided to be action girl instead. "We'll go home in the morning. I might be able to find something to help him, and we will have more people to help there than we do here. If we alert Lachlan or Evony, they'll have Emily removed, and we may never get anwers then."

"Do you want me to call Tamsin?" Bo finished the last piece of broccoli on her plate, not even seeming to bother to chew. Apparently, table manners went the way of the beasts tonight. Lauren would worry about eating later; maybe she could offer Tamsin something to eat, since it was still early and the detective was probably just now getting off duty. She would at least be grateful for the hot meal and take her time to enjoy it.

"After what just happened? I'm afraid of that conversation, babe. Let me call. You take Dyson upstairs to get a shower." Lauren stood to walk away from them but backtracked a second to turn and point at them. "Alone."

"Yes, ma'am." Blue eyes made a show again, and Lauren looked to make sure Dyson wasn't going to bolt when he noticed, too. Bo was horny tonight, and Dyson no doubt could smell that on her. That was not going to help.

In retrospect, adding Tamsin to the mix probably wouldn't help, either, since Bo's hormones were already amped and her succubus was already feeling the need to mark its territory. Still, what option did they really have? She didn't want to call Kenzi, Gram, or Hale because they had Briann, and she didn't want to alert them that anything was wrong yet. She would tell them later when everything settled and she called to check on their daughter. Vex and Dyson didn't get along much, so that wouldn't work out. Tamsin was their best option for Dyson, even if she wasn't the best option for them right now.


	24. Breakdown, It's Alright

They were supposed to leave for their trip soon and had finally decided that Kenzi, Vex, and Tamsin would be the only ones joining them. Bo didn't want to leave without her best friend, even if they had to leave Alexie behind with Gram. Hale would be on Dyson duty.

Lauren had predicted that it would still be another week before Dyson was in full recovery; after her initial workup of him, the doctor had discovered that he was more under his thrall than anybody suspected. Bo felt bad for not being there for him sooner; she felt like there was something she could have done to get him out. It was even more impressive that Lauren was the one who fought to have him stay after the dinner was interrupted and to help break the hold Emily had on him. Since Emily was apparently the reason Lauren and Dyson never got along, for Lauren to make that declaration of friendship and protection over him, Bo fell a little bit more in love with her wife for that.

Plus, she got to punch Emily.

She got to punch her hard in the face.

Bo was not afraid to tell everybody that it felt good and nobody argued that it was wrong. She didn't even mind that Lauren didn't allow her that night to sexually heal the minor cut and bruises she got from the outdoor scuffle to get Emily in her car. Her succubus was hyped up on adrenaline and a need to heal, but if Bo couldn't control her urges for that, then it was a miracle Lauren was still alive with all of the chi sucking she had done lately.

Actually, Bo felt like her injuries were trophies, telling everyone she had been a badass and it was a bad idea to mess with her because there was no doubt from her confidence that her enemy had received worse. It was what made her drag Kenzi out to the Dal one night to celebrate her victories over some best friend bonding and drinks like old times. She asked Lauren to come, but her wife just smiled, kissed her, and sent her out with Kenzi. When she got home, Lauren didn't mind her frisky handsiness, but when they made love that night, when Bo convinced her she wasn't as drunk as Lauren thought, Bo refused to take any chi to heal herself. Lauren noticed in the morning and just smiled as she cleaned and bandaged the cut again.

It was love, too. Bo loved those moments. The mature, slow, "I'm here, you're here, we're here together and don't want to be anywhere else" moments. Their teenage years were long gone now, as they came back to the responsible adults they were. Bo realized how she missed the maturity of their grown up couplings. They were deeper; more intense.

The glow didn't hurt, either. Bo always felt super focused, and Lauren always seemed to make it home earlier on those nights after they made love, too. In fact, she had been so focused that she finished planning the rest of the trip and had even set up a few hours for them to disappear for their anniversary. It was hard to believe their daughter was a one year old, but it was even harder to believe they had been officially fae married for a year. As far as Bo was concerned, they had been married since that night she officially met Lauren's parents, but to have it be 100% declared in all forms, Bo felt like celebrating big time.

Dyson was doing better today. Lauren actually granted him leave outside his secure, locked, and guarded 24/7 room. He was given a choice to decide what he wanted to do during his shore leave, and he decided he wanted to spend some time with Bo. Actually, he wanted to spend some time outdoors specifically; it was unfortunate that the outdoors turned out to be cloudy and rainy. Still, Bo made sure to bundle so that they could take a walk outside. His wolf was obviously craving to be in its natural state, and they had remained silent for the first forty minutes on their walk in the forest and around the lake. Taking this walk with Dyson was not as good as taking this walk with Lauren, but Bo knew this path well, so she knew it was safe to take.

He appeared to still be fighting, but he did seem better than he was. Lauren had mentioned as much last night during pre-sleep snuggles. Dyson was winning his internal struggles more, she noticed. His eyes weren't as vacant, and he was familiar to her again. When they started walking back to the house, he seemed to realize that he wouldn't have much time left and kept acting like he wanted to say something but would stop himself last minute. She stood closer to him under the umbrella and smiled up at him, hoping to encourage him and let him know she was there when he needed.

"You're glowing." Dyson cleared his throat, trying to bring his timbre back from its lower-than-intended interruption. "Lauren is your mate."

"Yes. We are mated in the fae sense." Bo narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't realize that they really hadn't ever talked about what not being mated to her meant for him. They only ever acknowledged the fact and ignored the repercussions. She knew he still lusted and longer for her; that much she could read, but it wasn't as intense as it once was. "In every sense of the word, actually."

"Good." Dyson smiled warmly at her. "She is good for you; she is your perfect mate, and you are hers."

"I seem to think so, but I'm a bit partial." Bo smirked, feeling relief that he wasn't angry about this. He was actually genuine in his happiness. "What we had was special, Dyson; you know that. You were my first fae, which means a lot. You were the first person I slept with that I didn't kill, and that means even more."

"But you are hers." He sighed but never faltered in his genuine happiness. It was a sad happiness, but it was happy nonetheless, and she would take it. "I've always known this but couldn't really accept it until now. Can you forgive me?"

"Of course; without a doubt." Bo smiled at him, touching his arm lightly. They never stopped walking, though, the rain pouring around them and soaking their clothes quite a bit as they continued to move. "You also were a bit blinded, for obvious reasons." His being mated to her had always caused him not to see things that didn't revolve around him.

"Are the rumors true?" Dyson looked ahead, not really giving her any indication of the rumors to which he was referring. There were too many to count at this point; she even had somebody ask her at the Dal the other day if she had defeated the Great Medusa monster. Kenzi had just spit her drink out a little in her laughter, and Bo smiled and told a story that was actually true, since it was obvious the young fae really wanted a story and reason to talk to her more than an actual belief in this particular story. When she asked Lauren later, when they were snuggling post coital, what a Great Medusa monster was, the doctor had just laughed herself. Apparently, Bo was the only one not in on the joke. She still didn't know the punch line. The only thing Bo knew about medusas was that Lachlan's mother had been one. She wasn't sure why that was funny. The snake hair, maybe?

"Which one?" Bo smirked at him, and he seemed amused. He was out in the field more, so he would be surrounded by the rumors. Bo had been in her happy domestic bubble for too long.

"When you started making a name for yourself here, rumors started to surface again about the resistance. They hadn't existed for decades, since the last world war." Dyson slowed his pace, even though that meant they would definitely be late for his curfew. Lauren had been insistent that they keep to a schedule, since it would help him adjust back to civilization better from the chaos that he was trying to exterminate. Still, he slowed, and Bo listened. She had been curious about this resistance ever since Emily mentioned it. "I was sent undercover to figure it out, which led me to Emily. I had no idea she was an actual part of the resistance. I didn't know that she was sent to Lauren."

"What's all of this have to do with rumors about me?" Bo looked up at him, trying to read what he wasn't saying. Dyson wasn't a master of being cryptic like Gram and Trick; he never had a problem keeping things from her and warning her to stay away from things, but he never really dropped hints. He had been the "I'll tell you when you need to know" type. At least that was appreciated; the current addition of Angela Lewis to their cryptic pool didn't instill much confidence in Bo right now, so it was refreshing to have an open conversation with a fae. She did have to give Tamsin credit for that, at least. The Valkyrie detective was definitely hiding something, but at least it didn't have anything to do with Bo or Lauren for a change.

"I was there when Emily took meetings; she probably didn't know I was even awake. Even under her thrall, she underestimated my power."

"Yeah, you're all macho. How could any woman ever tame you?" Bo rolled her eyes, not surprised he was peeved at her sarcasm. "Let's shift from your ego to mine. What does this have to do with me?"

"The resistance has been around since the Great Fae War ended; eventually, the rumors ceased, but every time something big happened in the world, the rumors would resurface. You showing up was the biggest thing that happened lately. Somebody figured that you were the one who would end the divide and take the true throne. That only made the resistance start to come out of hiding and go back to work at a more hurried pace." Dyson started to walk faster again, probably sensing how drenched they both were. Bo had been worried that they would get sick, but Lauren insisted it would be fine. Then, he suddenly stopped and turned to fully look at her. "Is it true? Are you going to be Queen?"

"Whatever that means, I guess so. It's not something I signed up for voluntarily; it was just thrown at me." Bo took a deep breath and looked to see the barn lab's side door not far in the distance. "I'm happy, Dyson. I never thought I would be allowed to be this happy. I never could have predicted this, but apparently somebody did. I just don't want this feeling to end, and I know once I take this supposed throne, however it happens, that happily ever after becomes threatened forever. I'm afraid of what this means for my family, for my marriage, for my kids, for my friends."

"I'm here for you; every step of the way." The way the rain covered his unruly, long curly hair made Bo take a deep breath. Dyson's sexual energy around her had seemed to dull; it was still there, but it almost felt like an increased version of what Lauren had felt around Nadia. It was more about the memories of what once was than anything else. The increase was just because he was a wolf shifter who couldn't resist a succubus. "You will be a great leader."

"I'm not so sure sometimes. I really need to do more research into the fae before I tackle anything. I figure by the time Briann graduates high school, I'll be ready. Lauren and I have a plan." Bo nodded, positive it was a good plan.

"When has planning ever worked for you? You're ready now. You don't have to have all the knowledge to be a great leader. You already are one. You've proven that time and again." He lifted his chin and looked down at her through bright, hooded eyes. This was the Dyson she remembered, and it felt good to see her old friend returning. Now, they just had to get him to cut off this 'fro he had going with his hair. At least Lauren had already talked him into trimming his beard. "You have a mate who is more than capable of helping you. If I was going to lose you to anyone, I'm glad it was her."

"Me, too." Bo looked over at the lab door again, knowing they needed to walk that final distance. For some reason, this felt like a goodbye. She finally recognized it for what it really was: closure. Even though she had not completely understood when Lauren insisted on doing this with Nadia, she did now. Together, Bo and Dyson walked to the door and entered in out of the rain. They shook off a bit, and Bo was reminded of watching a wet dog shake its hair dry. She held in the joke, especially when he went serious again.

"About Lauren's father." He looked at Bo with narrowed, concerned eyes. "He is part of the resistance; they were somehow the ones who escalated him to power quicker than the old Ash probably intended. They know about Lauren, and he's been behind the scenes orchestrating a lot more than even I could find. He's human, Bo. Worse, he's a human slave who is so convinced in his role that he has become even more dangerous. Even Lauren's sister Hadley was brought in once she became human, which just convinces me even more that you are the catalyst for the resistance. Those visions about you and Lauren; somehow they know, and I think it is because of him."

"It makes no sense, though. Why would they be against us? Don't they want change?" Bo knew that Lauren still was a bit of a daddy's girl, and she almost didn't want to break her wife's heart when she told her this bit of news. It explained Hadley being able to hide from them, especially from a highly trained tracker like Kat. It explained why Mr. Lewis was the real unloving half of Lauren's parents. All of this time they had been acting like Angela Lewis was the enemy, and it was actually her husband. Bo's dad may have been the man the devil stories were written about, but Mr. Lewis was actually much more evil.

"That's just it. They don't want progression; they want to return to the old ways, when humans were only slaves and food and had no freedom whatsoever." Dyson had lived then and had no doubt witnessed quite a few things over the years. Bo trusted him; even if they had fallen out this past year, Bo still found she trusted him. "You are the biggest threat to that because once you take the throne, resistance is futile."

"Did you just _Star Trek_ me?" Bo's eyes widened. Too many late night Kenzi fests lately were definitely showing their influence now. "Ignore that I know that."

"Your secret is safe with me." Dyson smirked slightly before his demeanor became stiff again. He was all over the place, which couldn't be helping his struggle right now. Bo was glad they were back in the lab. Lauren and Hale would be just down the hallway in the lab, waiting on their return. Hale was taking night watch with his old partner, and Lauren and Bo were going inside to start packing for the trip and to finally go through that final box Mrs. Lewis gave to Gram. They left in two days, and Lauren had shown _her_ influence by teaching her to actually pack instead of throwing randomness in a bag. "You're ready for this, Bo. Whether it's tomorrow or seventeen years from now, you're ready."

"When I do take the throne, I want you there with me." Bo wasn't sure any expression she forced could relay her sincerity in this, so she didn't even try and decided to just be honest. "You have to get better. No more undercover without warning us, so we know when to pull you out. The only chance we have of making this work is if there are no secrets between us."

"Deal." He smiled at her through sad eyes. She just smiled and nodded yet again in return, finalizing their walk as they entered through the electronic sliding doors. Hale was swirling around on a stool like a little child at a beauty parlor who just found out that the chairs swivel. Lauren was standing there, looking in her microscope with her concentrated face. She had since removed her lab coat, since presumably everyone else was gone for the day. She looked up and smiled at them, using eye contact to quietly ask Bo if everything went okay. Bo answered by walking further into the room and trading partners. Hale escorted Dyson to his secure chambers, and Bo watched as her wife closed the lab down for the night. The urge to swivel in her stool was almost unbearable.

* * *

Before dinner, Bo decided to take a shower and Lauren couldn't wait any longer to open the box Gram handed her this morning. It was the box her mother had left after Briann's birthday party, but she had only thought to ask for it this morning at breakfast. Gram went back to get it before she went over to the lab, and Lauren hadn't expected it to be so small or be so light.

Since Briann was playing on the floor with her blocks and shape sorter, Lauren kept staring at the box just sitting there, waiting to be opened. She had promised Bo she would wait until she got out of the shower before opening it, but she was getting anxious. Her mother had said something about this being her birth rite and that they would need it when they took their trip. The fact that she even had a birth rite was enough to cause her anxiety levels to increase. Of course, that would mean Bo was taking the longest damn shower of her life. At least that's what it felt like.

When Bo walked into the bedroom with nothing but a towel around her body, her hair combed and towel dried, Lauren was glad that her wife at least didn't make her wait until she was dressed. As soon as Bo's butt was on the bed, Lauren opened the box.

A book and a necklace box like her mother used to keep her pearls in were the only two things in there. Naturally, Lauren pulled the book out first. She opened it and immediately recognized her mother's handwriting. It was neat and proper and completely unlike Lauren's own doctorly scribe. She had opened to the middle somewhere, the words "Ash" and "Lauren" sticking out upon first glance. Bo questioned what it was, but Lauren didn't have an answer for her yet. Any thought of sleeping tonight had now been replaced by a need to stay up and read this entire journal.

Laying the book between them on the bed, Lauren picked up the necklace box. It was black, velvety, and familiar; like she had seen it before, maybe when she was younger and playing in her parents' room before they told her and Roger that their room was off limits.

She gasped when she opened it. It was the Ash's necklace, similar to her pendant but more pronounced and regal.

Did this mean her birth rite had always been to become the Ash's ward? Was she always supposed to be a slave to the Light? After all, her father was, so it wasn't that far of a stretch to believe her mother would sell her to the Ash. She guessed she got there on her own without the help.

Bo stayed quiet, not asking any questions, which was rare. The walk she took with Dyson must have been intense; she could sense as much when she was working on some slides in her lab. When she saw their faces upon return, Lauren was certain the conversation involved something big, but her own anticipation about this final box had kept her mind preoccupied.

Dyson had listened to her advice these past few days, which surprised her. She suspected it the first few days they were here, but he seemed to shift into someone who respected her opinion. She couldn't get her normal patients to listen to her sometimes, and here was Dyson, fighting against his own desires and thoughts just so he could listen to her. It was strange seeing him act so genuine with her, especially considering Emily no doubt filled his mind with all sorts of mixed messages regarding her. There were only a few minor altercations, which resulted in him being moved to the lab's secure quarters with a guard on him 24/7, but he was doing better.

Dyson was the furthest thing from her mind, though. She grabbed the journal and pushed back to lean against the headboard, not caring that a cherub poked her in the shoulder. Bo seemed to understand, too.

"I'll bring you something to eat, okay? I'll take Briann for the night. You read." She leaned over to kiss Lauren's cheek. "Let me know if you need to talk or process or anything. I'll keep checking on you."

"Thanks." Lauren sent her appreciation through simple eye contact, smiling slightly but eager to read the book. It wasn't long, but it was novel length. If she didn't stop to go back over some pages or passages, it would probably take her a handful of hours to get through this. Bo stood, grabbing the towel that was obviously slipping down her body. Normally, Lauren would react and be playful, but she couldn't be distracted. She disappeared into the bathroom and Lauren only mildly registered her wife's movements until Bo had picked up Briann and left the room for dinner.

At some point, Bo brought in a plate of food, which Lauren forgot about. She continued to come in with a new glass of water, taking the empty one with her. At one point, after the sun had been down for a while, Bo came into the bedroom sans Briann. That meant Lauren had missed tucking their daughter in for the night.

She was on the last page when Bo curled under the covers and sat beside her. Lauren was trying to process everything she had just read, not entirely convinced this wasn't a fiction novel instead of her mother's journal.

The entire thing had been about her mother, starting with when the old Ash had asked her to marry William Lewis. The journal explained everything: the vision the midwife had about William Lewis when he was born; the old Ash requesting Angela; even Lauren's father's upbringing in the fae world. The biggest shock in that section had been that Elder Krane was the one who had trained and raised him. In a sense, that meant that her adopted grandmother had been the one to kill her wife. The elder no doubt was aware of this fact when she did it, too.

Lauren felt like such a fool sometimes in this world. So much was revealed about her life and her family. The biggest shock had not been to find that her father was being trained for Prime Minister since birth, which Lauren already knew, but tha ther mother was being trained to take the old Ash's place when her husband took office. Bo had killed him before his plans came to fruition, and apparently, nobody knew about their deal besides them. That meant that the Ash's pendant was her birth rite, but it wasn't because her mother had sold her to the Light. It wasn't a slave pendant. It was Lauren's crown. One of Angela's only requirements when she agreed to take on this task was that her firstborn child was looked after and taken care of for life, since she or he would be a hybrid child trapped between the human and fae political worlds.

As she continued to read, Lauren found out that her mother had wanted to protect her from the first moment she held her. She hadn't backed out on the Ash's deal, but she refused to allow him to take Lauren like they had William Lewis. Would her upbringing have been that much different if that had happened? Would the Ash have been as cold? As time went on, her mother discovered that the Ash had only agreed to this because he knew Lauren was going to be part of something bigger. She discovered that the Ash had known that her bloodline would be the one to mix with the other two royal lines, completing the four corners and producing an heir that inhabited all four families. He didn't know it would actually be Lauren who would make that happen, but her mother did because Gram had apparently scolded her for treating her daughter like a common slave and saw how much it was hurting own her Hestian daughter to do this.

Lauren's heart broke when she read that.

She couldn't stop the tears from falling, reading how much and how painful it had been for her mother. They were both tears of sadness and anger. This was the biggest family secret of all, and Lauren wasn't supposed to find out. She wished she still didn't know; it was so much easier to dislike her mother than to feel honest sympathy and understanding.

The entries became more sparse, more like yearly updates, after Lauren had joined the Light Fae. Her mother had tried to reason with the old Ash not to make the deal, but he had insisted that it would give him a chance to start training Lauren to take power, much like he had done for Angela all of those years.

Her time with him started to make perfect sense. She had always been granted more access and more freedom within her servitude; much more than other humans. He only ever punished her to prove a point and to teach her how the world worked. He would always bring her along to Elder Council meetings, even when she wasn't head of the lab yet. He would confide in her and trust in her to complete tasks outside of her official job duties; even tasks he wouldn't trust with his closest fae advisors.

He had finally granted her leave to visit her grandmother after almost five years of asking. That was when she had met Bo. If he knew about the visions, then he was pulling more puppet strings by sending her there to help with the underfae cow outbreak. No wonder he wasn't that hard to convince when Gram requested Lauren stay the full two weeks she had been granted. No wonder the security detail had been lacking every time Bo snuck into the compound.

Her mother wasn't the bad guy in this story. Lauren had wasted so many years believing this to be the case that she now felt guilty. The final entry had been after that dinner at the country club. Angela Lewis had some choice words to say about Bo, most of them a protective mother's diatribe about how the succubus was not worthy of her daughter. The surprising thing was that she acknowledged how much she was aware that Lauren and Bo were the forever kind of love, and that she was relieved that somebody made her daughter happy despite her disapproval. Lauren realized her mother didn't know that Bo was the Blood King's granddaughter at that point, so she just had an elitist attitude because Bo wasn't from fae elite.

All of that coldness she associated with her mother, all of the unloved feelings she had felt over the years, were being replaced with the warmth usually reserved for a Hestian. Even though she was still angry, Lauren's demeanor toward her mother softened.

"Lauren?" Bo brought her out of her musings, probably curious about the intensity and wild ride of emotions she had just gone through in the last six hours. The question hung in the air for a moment, as Lauren tried to decide where to even begin. She gave her wife the highlights, and Bo became defensive by the end when she found out her mother-in-law was a cliché, though she did take a second to chuckle that Angela Lewis had always been anti-Bo because she wasn't from a good bloodline. "I wish I had seen the entry when she discovered who I actually was."

"Yeah." Lauren took a deep breath, looking down at the journal in her lap. She stared for a second longer, letting it soak in some more, before she extracted herself from the bed, stretching her limbs, and managed to get ready for bed in record timing. She turned the bedside lamp off, the only light in the room, as she crawled under the covers to meet her wife. Bo immediately snuggled into her, arm wrapped tightly around Lauren's torso. It finally registered what the old Ash had actually intended for her. "He was breeding me to be the Ash. That doesn't make sense."

"You said he knew about us somehow. What if he wasn't breeding you for the Ash so much as preparing you to become a different kind of ruler? He must have known about the Queen, and he knew that you were a hybrid who would live longer than most humans, so is it that big of a stretch to assume he was doing exactly what Evony was doing with me? Trying to keep himself in power somehow by manipulating you?" Bo pulled herself out of the snuggling position, which caused Lauren to turn and look at her wife, who was now sitting up in bed. "Lauren, that makes this harder to tell you."

"Makes what harder to tell me?" She sat up to be level with her wife, even though it was hard to make out features beyond what the moon's glow in the window allowed.

"Dyson was telling me he went undercover to find the resistance. It's how he wound up with Emily." Bo was biting her lip, which only made Lauren more nervous since her wife only did that when she was worried about telling her something. What could be worse than finding out a past lover had been sent to you? Possibly two, if what Emily said about Nadia was true. "He saw your father and Emily together."

"Sexually?" Lauren felt disgusted at the images that surfaced in her brain without warning.

"No." Bo paused for a second, obviously thinking about the bad mental images, too. "At least I don't think that's what he meant." She cleared her throat to get back on track, placing a warm hand on Lauren's exposed thigh. "Your father is part of the resistance. He's not just their slave; he's an actual part of it."

"That's not possible. He's human. If the resistance were to ever succeed, he would be a slave forever. He would be ensuring that all humans are slaves forever." She used to climb on his knee, only to be placed on the floor. He used to scold her for talking around people she knew now were fae. He used to spank her when he felt she was being out of line with her questioning, and Lauren was a curious child. She had always admired her father, but she was scared of him even more.

"Your mother may not be the villain I thought she was, but your father is." Bo knew how much this entire evening's revelations were draining. This must have been how Bo felt when she discovered she had met her father, or when she discovered that Aoife was dead right after visiting her adopted mother and discovering she wasn't welcome there anymore, either. Their families were insane. Lauren glanced over to see that it was already midnight. That meant Gram was already asleep, and she didn't want to wake her. Lauren wondered how much of this her grandmother actually knew. Nothing in her cryptic ever suggested that she knew some of these things. It felt odd to be more in the loop than the woman who seemed to know everything.

In the span of a month, their entire lives shifted. Bo's biological father turned out to not be a bad man, possibly, but Lauren's had. Bo's mother turned out to be unloving but Lauren's turned out to be loving. It was too much, and it finally broke Lauren a little, as she curled into her wife's arms and let out all of her frustration. She had forgotten what an anxiety attack felt like.

Eventually, thanks to Bo taking point, Lauren's sobbing was brought back under control, as she fell asleep curled completely into Bo's arms.


	25. How to Gracefully Disappear in a Room

Bo had been watching Lauren carefully today. After the breakdown last night, which was extremely rare for the woman, Bo was concerned about what all of this new information meant. Everything that Lauren believed about her life, about her upbringing, had been shattered in the span of one day. It was reasonable to believe she would still be a mess today, but when they woke up this morning, all Bo could feel from her was numbness and a renewed sense of purpose. At first, Bo thought that Lauren had shut herself off from the bond, probably not wanting her wife to feel how much pain she was actually in, but upon closer inspection, Bo noticed that she was just numb.

How could she not be mad or upset still? Then again, Lauren had expelled a lot of emotions last night. Bo was angry enough for the both of them, and she didn't know why she was angry. When she was holding Lauren through her meltdown, she had promised to find Mr. Lewis and give him a swift kick in the ass. The media would have a field day with that, and Lachlan would be pissed. All the more reason to do it, she thought. Lachlan was on her shit list right now, too, though that was more of a sister and brother spat than anything major . She could get over that. Mr. Lewis, she could not.

He was a human trying to ensure that all humans were slaves; it was the opposite of what Bo intended to accomplish as Queen. She would definitely be removing the resistance from existence, and Gram was the one to give her answers. Bo decided it was time to stop playing by Gram's cryptic rules, too. If she was going to be a good queen, she had to learn how to demand straight answers. That meant practicing on either Gram or Trick, and Gram was the lucky one that was closest and would have the answers she needed.

That was planned for later, though. Right now, she wanted to spend a nice lunch with her favorite people…and Tamsin. They were talking over the details of the trip, which would take them across Scotland, Ireland, and England, to their ancestors' four clan castles. Kenzi had asked to go, and once they made arrangements with Gram to watch Alexie (since it would have been harder to lug two toddlers around instead of just one), Bo had been more than happy for the BFF backup, especially now that Vex and Tamsin were the other two backup.

Dyson had been given shore leave for lunch, and he looked extra uncomfortable. Lauren was watching him closely, though, and Hale was sitting by him, obviously ready to jump if needed. Surprisingly, Hale had become quite the leader here at the farm. He was a good head of security, and Bo found she felt safer leaving Alexie here with him. While the little blonde-headed boy was less of a target than Briann, he was still a target. Enemies would know that hurting her nephew would hurt her just as much as hurting her own daughter.

Actually, Dyson probably smelled fucking Tamsin's arousal. It was blinding today. Bo should have paid more attention and told Lauren to at least wear sleeves. She wasn't past going back to their bedroom and bringing her wife out a parka to wear, even if it was still hot and humid outside. That, or Bo shouldn't have allowed Lauren to sit next to the Valkyrie detective at all. If they didn't need her for the trip, Bo would probably not have even allowed Tamsin to join them for lunch.

Dyson was having a hard enough time as it was still struggling with the last vestiges of Emily's thrall. Being thrown around a cocktail of confused hormones and emotions couldn't be helping any.

Bo felt her eyes flash blue, causing her to panic that the others saw her. Tamsin really was blinding today, and Lauren was a bit, too. This morning, Lauren had that normal 5 around her that was always there, but last night's revelations had caused her to stay there instead of increase slightly, even when a very naked Bo saw her wife staring at her. Then, Tamsin showed up for lunch, and Lauren's energy increased. It pissed her off, but she didn't say anything, even if Kenzi sent a concerned look her way. She must have been showing her frustration on her face when Lauren lit up. She even hugged Tamsin, which was something extremely strange since Lauren was not a hugger, especially with somebody she barely knew.

Bo hated that her wife could feel such a strong pull and attraction from somebody that wasn't her. She was trying to be mature about it, since she knew Lauren would never do a thing about it. What made matters worse is that Lauren knew how Bo felt about Tamsin and the mutual attraction; she could sense how uncomfortable Bo was, but she still insisted on the Dark Fae woman being around. Was it the thrill of mixing with somebody from the opposing side? Sure, Tamsin was attractive; Bo did have two perfectly functioning eyes. Still, she didn't get the pull that her wife did. Was this another resistance trick? If they sent Emily and apparently Nadia after Lauren, it made sense that they would send somebody else. Even with her threatening glances toward the woman, Bo could tell that the detective really didn't care that she was all sorts of not-so-subtle flirting with another woman's wife right in front of said wife, who had previously threatened to cut her if she kept up with it. She wanted Lauren, and Bo had a feeling the woman usually got what she wanted.

"Not this time." She smirked and didn't realize she had spoken aloud until Kenzi and Lauren looked over at her, concern clear in their expressions. She just smiled and tried to save face. "Just thinking about some things."

"Lauren, I think I need to be excused back to my quarters." Dyson stood abruptly, a combination of fear and danger in his eyes. Was he picking up something she wasn't, or was she right that the hormone cocktail in this room was too much for him?

"Of course." She stood and went immediately into doctor mode. Her patient was number one priority now, so her previous spike in arousal dropped back to its normal five. Bo breathed out a frustrated sigh, glad for the distraction but upset that Dyson felt uncomfortable.

"I should go, too." Tamsin grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair as she stood, but she didn't put it on. She looked over at Lauren, who immediately smiled at the woman in return. Yes, Bo would definitely be locking that down; otherwise, Tamsin probably wouldn't be coming back alive from this trip. Bo had been mildly joking before when she said she would cut a bitch, but the more she was around the woman, especially when the woman was around Lauren, the more she saw the joke disappear completely into a serious declaration.

"We'll meet you at the travel agency tomorrow morning." Lauren moved over to hug Tamsin again. Bo could see that the Valkyrie detective liked the contact too much, and she had to hold the side of the table to stop herself from standing and cutting her right now. "Do not forget that thing we discussed."

"Oh, but the promise of you punishing me for forgetting is much more appealing." Tamsin arched an eyebrow, seeming yet again to forget that the woman she was flirting with had a wife sitting not five feet from her.

"Don't forget." Lauren chuckled at the joke, though her face was a bit stern. While Bo could admit she was glad that her wife was smiling and laughing after last night, she could also admit she was angry that it wasn't her Lauren was smiling and laughing at. Tamsin nodded and rolled her eyes in amusement before leaving. Lauren turned back to Bo, moving over to kiss the top of her head. She no doubt could feel how upset Bo was. "Stop overthinking things, babe. I'll be back in a bit."

With that, Lauren and Hale escorted Dyson out, presumably to take him back to the lab quarters. That just left Bo, Kenzi, and Vex in the dining room.

"Okay, what the bloody hell was that?" Vex pointed to the door where everyone had just exited. "I don't think I've ever seen our resident detective smile since Evony brought her in last year. Now, she's all about playing doctor?"

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Kenzi moved chairs to come sit next to Lauren's vacant one beside Bo.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I trust Lauren." Bo steeled her jaw, willing herself to control her anger and succubus need to take what was hers.

"If you want me to take her out, I have a butcher who owes me a favor." Vex leaned back in his chair, pushing it on its back two legs so he could rock. He said that so casually, like it was an everyday event to just kill off somebody for even looking at your wife funny. "You may want to stay vegetarian for about a month, though, just in case. Wouldn't want to eat the evidence yourself."

"That's not necessary, Vex, but thanks." She let out a harsh sigh and shook out her hands. "I trust Lauren."

"It's not Lauren that you're worried about, though." Kenzi laid her hand on Bo's thigh, stilling the shaking leg that she wasn't even aware was shaking. "Are you sure we should let her come with us? I've not seen you this upset in a while."

"It's not just the Tamsin thing." Bo bit her lip, not aware how much she really needed to process this information with somebody who wasn't her wife. Kenzi to the rescue, as always. Vex was just there for immoral support. "We found out yesterday that Lauren's dad is part of this resistance thing, and then, if that wasn't enough, Lauren finds her mom's old journal and discovers she has some big Light Fae Ash birthright. Apparently, my dear old in laws have been completely trying to control my wife since before she was even conceived. At least, that's what I got from what she told me."

"Woah, dude. That's intense." Kenzi took a second to let that settle, and Bo let her, only nodding her agreement. Vex had since learned when to keep his mouth shut. "You wouldn't be able to tell. The doc seemed so…normal. Maybe more intense than usual, but with taking care of Dyson, I thought it was just that."

"Well, that and the Norse bird trying to infiltrate your little love nest." Well, Vex _did_ know when to shut up. It was kind of a tossup with him sometimes.

"I have all of this anger, and it's like she's all of a sudden fine with everything overnight."

"Apparently not, sweetcheeks. Your bond thing, remember? It's there, but she's being Lauren and pushing it aside. That means you get it. You know that." Kenzi had been around them long enough to understand how their bond worked on the outside. She saw the things they couldn't because of their sole focus on themselves. When Lauren had figured out the fae serum, Bo had asked if it could turn a human into a fae. Lauren had seemed to know why she was asking, and they had a long conversation about Kenzi. Bo knew it was unfair to even consider throwing her best friend into a world she didn't really want. Lauren just reminded Bo that it was going to be beautiful spending Kenzi's mortal life with her, watching her get old and eventually die, because it would remind them of how precious life really was. Lauren had finally explained what she had learned about hybrids dying. They were essentially mortals with a longer life span and great aging genes, but anything human could kill them: disease; mortal wounds; accidents. Even if she wouldn't change much in appearance, Lauren explained that she could die of natural causes without any warning. Since she had no guarantee of how long that natural life span would be, she insisted that she and Bo really take the time to enjoy and be with one another while they could. Since Bo had signed on for this to be it, her one and only love and relationship, Lauren mentioned she wanted to make it more than worth it for her. Bo had to agree, which was why it was so easy to trust Lauren wouldn't do anything about her attraction to Tamsin.

"Intrinsically, sure, but this anger is more. It's like I'm seeing and hearing about all of these horrible things, and I have this inherent need to do something about them." Bo had been feeling them since she came back from the dead. They had slowly crept up on her, but lately, they had been overwhelming. "I was going to talk to Gram about it here after lunch."

"Because getting answers from her is always so easy." Kenzi smirked a bit, which did relax Bo.

"That's just it. I'm going to try something new. I'm going to demand answers." Bo took another deep breath and let her shoulders loosen a bit, already convinced somehow that this method was going to work. It had to; they left tomorrow, and she didn't want the confusion and frustration to follow them on their trip. They had too many other things to worry about to let the other stuff cause them to implode.

"Telling off your wife's grandmother, who just happens to be a dear old friend of mine? You do realize she can make you disappear quicker than either I or the Morrigan could?" Vex seemed more amused by the prospect than anything. "Mind if I buy a front row seat to this train wreck?"

"No, I do this alone. I have to start practicing this queen thing, and that means I have to start thinking I have the real command. Gram will understand that; there will be no impaling today." Bo grabbed the last grape from the bowl sitting in the center, seeing that Vex was going for it. She did it more to prove she could than actually wanting it. He just huffed back in his seat. "I doubt Lauren will be back for awhile. She's probably going to finish preparing the lab and work so Janelle can take over this week. Good thing no apocalyptic fae disease or research is taking precedence right now. I kind of want to ride the Lauren/Bo happy train a bit longer before I lose my wife to her work again."

"You do realize you probably jinxed yourself there, love." Vex leaned back in his chair again, rocking but not falling. Bo kind of was rooting for him to tumble over; it was always funny to watch.

"One thing at a time. We're going to get Dyson better, we're going to do this crazy birthright tour for our daughter, and we're going to come back and kick some resistance ass." Bo took one last breath to steel herself before standing. It was now or never. If Gram hadn't joined them for the actual eating part of lunch earlier, Bo would have used that excuse as a peace offering. Nobody could turn down her grilled cheese sandwiches.

When she walked back to Gram's office, she didn't expect the door to already be open. Gram never did this, saying it was a power move to make her appointments wait on her to allow them entry. Bo wondered if she would keep an open door policy, or if people would abuse that so she would have to start leaving her door closed, too. What would her door be? Where exactly was she supposed to rule? She had been assuming that she would do it from the farm, since it had become their home. Was that wrong to assume, though? The need for Dark and Light territories and rules about crossing the enemy lines would be a thing of the past once she took control, so why would it matter where she ruled? This was definitely something she would have to consult with Lauren about, since it would probably be their home, as well. Wherever they landed, Kenzi and Alexie had to come with them. That wasn't even a question.

Still, Gram leaving her door open was odd. It was almost like she was expecting her. When Bo saw her face light up after she entered, politely knocking on the doorframe before doing so, Bo waited until Gram looked up from the open file on her desk before saying anything. She was determined to do this, and she wanted to do it before she lost her nerve.

"Okay, I need answers." Bo hesitated slightly before deciding she had to stand her ground. She walked over and sat down across from Gram, making sure to keep strong eye contact. "What I mean is, I don't want the cryptic. I want real answers."

"Of course you do." Gram smiled playfully before rolling her eyes. "What is it you want to know?"

"Everything." Bo held her gaze, daring her to argue. "But right now, I will do with information on the resistance."

"Ah, that's a name I haven't heard in centuries." Gram leaned back in her chair, folding her hands together on her lap. "Though I'm surprised it took them this long to resurface. I would have expected them to make moves much sooner."

"Apparently, they have been making moves for years…with your granddaughter." Bo propped her arm off the back of the chair, relaxing a little. "Lauren's father is apparently part of it and has been running interference in her life. I'm not exactly sure the details, but I know Emily was sent to her, and I think Nadia has something to do with it, too."

"I knew I never liked him for a reason." Gram stared at the wall for a second, and Bo gave her a chance to process before continuing. The older woman took a deep breath before nodding, standing, and moving to sit in the chair next to Bo's, putting them at an even level. "Angela was asked by the old Ash to take on a big peace project, to prepare for the changes that would happen in the world. When Lauren was born, I knew she was special because I knew who she was. So did Angela. Somehow, William must have found out. It actually explains a few things from these past few years. Do we know any of the endgame?"

"I know he's wanting to enslave all of humanity to the fae, and he hurt Lauren. She loved him, and he threw that away. I don't need to know anything more than that. Whatever this resistance is, I want it gone."

"Spoken like a true leader." Gram looked impressed, which surprised Bo considering the woman hardly ever showed this in her expressions. "The resistance is as old as the clans. There is no telling how far they reach, but I do know they feel threatened because once you go into power, they have no more control over the fae. They have no more influence, but they will keep trying. Anyone who dares oppose you once you accept your throne will be stupid, and this world is full of idiots. Still, their purpose will be annihilated once you are queen. You think a power hungry group wants that? So, of course, they're going to do everything to stop you from taking control before that happens."

"But her dad has been doing this to Lauren for years before I came along." Bo rubbed both of her hands along the back of her neck. For some reason, she was feeling extra stressed.

"There are any number of prophetic fae in the world. It's not unlikely that one is part of the resistance." Gram moved forward to place a comforting hand on Bo's knee, but she didn't send the usual Hestian warmth with it. This surprised Bo, who sent her a curious glance in response. The woman seemed to understand. "I need to start getting used to asking permission before I dose you with my power. It is a sign of respect."

"You never have to ask to comfort me. You're my wife's grandmother; we're family. I would expect nothing less." Bo placed her hand on top of Gram's, smiling at her. She instantly felt the warmth being passed to her and relaxed. Gram would definitely be sticking around; it was good to have a Hestian on your side for those extra stressful days. "If they're after me, and if they're after Lauren, then what is stopping them from attacking you while we're gone? I'm not so sure about leaving now."

"This is necessary, dear. Just follow the instructions, which I am sure my granddaughter has meticulously planned, and you will be fine. You will be stronger. All of you will." Gram leaned even further, almost in a conspiratorial manner. "And that was not cryptic. That is all I know. You are getting ready to embark on unchartered territory. This has never been done before, so I have no advice to give you on what to expect. I can just give you the instructions."

"It's not too late to call Woods to set up a barrier around the farm." Bo wasn't really prepared to deal with his special brand of insane, but she would do what was necessary to protect her family. "I will tell Evony and Lachlan to send patrols here, but only people they trust completely. Emily is part of the Ash's guard, so it wouldn't surprise me if more people were on the inside."

"We do what is necessary to protect our family. Sometimes, we have to do hard things to ensure that remains." Gram looked so serious and sad, as though she was recalling a recent memory. "I have killed to protect my family, and I would do it again. I'm not the weak old lady you probably think me."

"I don't…" Bo was still trying to imagine Gram killing somebody. She was so nice that it was hard to remember she was Dark Fae. Dark didn't mean bad, but it did mean doing things differently.

"The tattoo that Lauren has been trying to discover for the past few months." Gram walked over to her desk and started sketching something on a post it note. She handed it to Bo, who looked at it in shock. "Look familiar?"

"Yes, that's it. This is that damned thing…well, I think it is." Bo looked up from the post it note. "It's a good thing you run a farm. I'm not so sure you'd make it as an artist."

"Oh, my dreams have forever been crushed." Gram rolled her eyes in amusement before smirking and nodding toward the tiny piece of paper in Bo's hand. "You have solved yet another mystery. That is the resistance's brand. Anyone involved with the resistance is marked, even without them being aware sometimes. They mark their pawns so that they can keep better track of them."

"How can you not be aware you are getting a tattoo?" Bo crumpled the paper. She didn't need to show it to Lauren, though Kenzi would probably get a good laugh at the poor drawing skills. Kenzi was the worst about putting Gram on a pedestal; it would do good for her to see that the woman couldn't do everything. Bo knew that was exactly what she needed with Lauren at one point, so she was glad to find a few things her wife wasn't good at, such as skeeball. Bo had kicked her ass last time they took Kenzi and the actual kids to the arcade.

"You have been with the fae how long now?" Gram just sent an amused smirk her way, as though this were all the explanation she needed. "You will be fine on this trip. You have nothing to worry about."

"Well, other than not knowing what to expect, horny detectives tagging along, and possibly signing up our daughter for something she doesn't want. I know the feeling and don't want her to be forced into something. She should have a choice when she's old enough to handle it." Bo recalled the entire queen thing and not being asked if she wanted that role. She knew why she was so angry then. Plus, she wasn't exactly getting laid on a regular basis, so she was more irritable at the time, too. "Briann is going to be allowed to choose to be whatever and whoever she wants."

"And I would expect nothing less from you." Gram smiled before standing again. "Now, is there anything else you absolutely need to know right now? I do have a farm to run."

"How do we defeat this thing? I'm used to going up against individual enemies. I've never had to take down an entire organization before."

"Nobody has ever defeated 'this thing' after centuries of existence. Nobody has even come this close, or known who was part of it." Gram walked around to sit in her oversized chair, but before she did, she sent Bo a look that expressed her true concern and pride. "I have faith in you. If anybody can, it is you."

"When we get back from this trip, you have to let us start doing more around the farm. Lauren can cook sometimes, and I fix a mean fence post." Bo smiled before finally standing herself.

"You're volunteering your wife for things?" Gram looked amused, as she sat back in her chair and started to chuckle. "You've been married a year now; two if you count the first time you got married unofficially. Surely you know better by now."

"It's something we discussed before; it wouldn't be completely involuntary volunteering." Bo walked to the door, turning around before she exited, thinking better of it. "I'm serious, Gram. Let us start helping more; you look so tired lately, and you watch Briann all of the time when Kenzi can't. You let us live here; the least we can do is earn our keep."

"You're a good woman, Bo." Gram relaxed in her chair before nodding one last time. Bo smiled back at her before exiting the room, pulling the office door shut behind her without needing to ask.


	26. I Can Feel It Coming in the Air Tonight

Lauren wasn't sure what to expect of her grandfather's castle beyond old pictures and maps. This was their first stop, though, in Scotland. They were making the tour over the next ten days. Bo had suggested using Peggy the Travel Agent to help them all get there quicker; normally, Lauren wouldn't want anything to do with fae magic like that, but she had to admit the quicker they got there, the more time they would have to explore _and_ accomplish their tasks. Being a world traveller again was somewhat exciting, and Lauren had never even had a chance to visit any of the three countries they would be in; the fact that this was about learning about their families made it all the more appealing. Each castle had their own tasks, and once completed, they could move on to the next. Lauren had been the one to suggest exploring, and Bo was more than happy to agree.

They had come prepared to camp out, not sure what they would find in old abandoned castles. It was Vex and Kenzi who came out gushing about the beds and medieval feel of the place. They even pulled down swords from a decorative case and started play fighting. They were acting like children and flirting heavily like teenagers. It was kind of funny to watch, especially when Bo groaned and honed in on the sexual tension. Lauren had to smile at how hungry her wife suddenly felt; probably being reminded of their own teenage hormones last month.

Harold White was the oldest of several sons and daughters, and this castle and royal title was his birthright. Lauren barely remembered meeting any of her grandfather's siblings; he once explained a lot of them died in the Great Fae War and only her great uncle Clem survived alongside him. Still, Grumps was the Nature King in name only as far as Lauren was concerned. She could only ever see him as the man who taught her how to be a good person, to be so caring and loving, even when faced with people who don't love you in return.

Still, the abandoned castle she was expecting turned out to be lively and bright. It was full of people moving around and plants adorning and mixing with the medieval decorations. Lauren could feel the power here; she could feel the connection she missed after her grandfather died. It was calming and reminded her that she wasn't just part Hestian, she was part Gaean, too. Without warning, she realized exactly why she had always been good with natural substances and producing formulas and serums out of things found out in nature.

They passed another set of servants moving linens and cleaning materials, as though they knew to expect company. Gram had said all four places had since been abandoned for centuries, so it was strange to see so many people working. Lauren wanted to stop one of them but felt guilty about it. Tamsin helped her out when the detective noticed the faltered need. Bo was too preoccupied with Briann trying to grab at the leaves hanging from the wall plants to really notice. The servant Tamsin stopped pointed them to the direction of the grand hall, where Bo and Lauren were supposed to take Briann for the ritual. Kenzi and Vex were too concerned with play fighting, and flirting mixed with touchy feely Lauren noticed, to move with them. So much for the backup.

They stood in the right spots and said the right things. They made sure to bow in the appropriate places and inflect the proper syllables. Bo had even allowed Tamsin, an outside element, to cut their hands for the binding. Granted, she wasn't too happy since she had tasked Kenzi with this important position, but the job was still done. The first ritual was complete, so they could enjoy their evening in the castle. That thought excited Lauren, and Bo seemed happy and eager about her enthusiasm. She probably thought she was going to get lucky later. Lauren couldn't say yay or nay to that possibility.

They found a banquet served to them in the dining hall. Lauren had to admit she could live without seeing Vex acting so carnivorous. It was like he and Kenzi both had reverted to fulfilling natural needs and desires. Lauren didn't think anything of it at first, since the playfulness was what made Vex and Kenzi special, but when she saw Bo start to bounce in her seat and start to sing "We are the Champions" along with her best friend, Lauren realized something was up.

That's why she put everyone to bed early. She and Briann seemed like the only real sane ones at the moment. Bo was snoring away in their guest bedroom, passed out from the overindulgence of mead like Kenzi and Vex, and Lauren had just put Briann down for the night before deciding to really explore this place. She felt comfortable here, as she walked the halls. The servants had apparently retired for the night, as well, leaving Lauren to truly explore on her own. She found herself in a large room filled with books. It was massive and reminded her of what she imagined her dream library would look like. The shelves were all the way stacked high to the extremely tall ceilings; so much so, that it required the attached moveable ladder to retrieve them. Even then, there were two balconies with their own moving ladders and spiral staircases that led up to them. Lauren couldn't imagine trying to get the book on the highest shelf; vertigo may take hold for her in that instance.

It was a much larger scale of Gram's library back at the farm, and Lauren instantly felt in her element despite the lack of lights. Instead, the full moon was glowing into the tall, stained glass windows and giving her enough light to maneuver around the room. She could imagine this room looking every bit as beautiful and much more magnificent in the daylight. She ran her fingers along well dusted titles, finding she wanted to take a few but not entirely positive it was a good idea to pull anything from the shelves. They were guests here, even if she was technically the heir to this throne. It never occurred to Lauren to think of herself as the Nature Princess. Was that how it worked, actually? Since her grandfather had passed, her mother was technically the Nature Queen if death rules applied. Something told Lauren they didn't, though. Gram had hinted as much with the fae marriage ritual she and Bo had to go through last year.

"You can't deny you feel it, too." The voice brought Lauren from her perusing. She felt like she had been caught doing something illegal, and she wasn't entirely positive she wasn't. Tamsin was standing, leaned against the tall doorframe that Lauren had left open. She looked so tiny in comparison, but Lauren relaxed a bit to know she wasn't going to be smited for going into forbidden areas. The fae were so territorial about their information.

"Feel what?" Lauren turned around fully to address the other woman, and she couldn't help but catch her breath a little at how the moonlight through the stained glass illuminated Tamsin's hair and eyes. She really was subtly beautiful.

"Really, doc? You're supposed to be the smart one." Tamsin walked further into the room, sitting down on one of the couches positioned in the middle of the expansive room. Lauren came to sit down beside her but made it a point to sit as far away on the couch as possible without making it too obvious what she was doing.

"I can't lie and say I don't feel something, but nothing is going to happen. I won't let it. I don't want it to." Lauren cleared her throat, feeling her entire body flush from anticipation. She really hadn't expected the woman to ever make a move.

"Like you have a choice in the matter? That's not how these things work." Tamsin leaned back on the couch, making herself comfortable and eyeing Lauren as she bit her lip. "I'm thinking it's this place. Something in the air? What did you say your grandfather was again?"

"Gaean. What does that have to do with us?"

"What do you mean us? I'm talking about the energy this place is sending out." Tamsin arched an eyebrow, though Lauren suspected she picked up on the double entendre now and enjoyed the idea of having this conversation. "What would the succubus think about us being alone in here in what I imagine is your perfect romantic setting? I kind of had you pegged for the 'Beauty and the Beast' type of romantic, though you may interested to know that the real beast that story is based on? He was a real douche; moreso than Dyson on his worst day."

"Mmm. Good to know." Lauren wasn't sure what to say at this point. It was sometimes better if she kept her mouth shut because she didn't want to say anything she'd regret.

"Your wife is all tucked into bed nicely. What say we figure this out now? If we're going to be working together, and if we're going to be friends, then we need to get this out of our systems. Normally, that would mean fucking, but I get the sense you wouldn't want that, even if I know you would like it." Tamsin arched her eyebrow and smirked, leaning forward and scooting a little closer to Lauren on the couch. "So, you're the genius. How do you propose we solve this problem of ours?"

"I was content with ignoring it." She smiled back, trying to hide her fear at the woman gradually moving closer and closer. Lauren had no excuse this time. She actually wanted Tamsin to kiss her, but then she would remember Bo, and all she wanted was for Bo to swoop in and prevent this from happening. She knew that wasn't going to happen, though, so she had to be the one to step up. "You know this will never happen."

"I'm aware of that, but I also know you don't want me out of your life. That means this…" She pointed back and forth between them. "…isn't likely to go away until we resolve the issue."

"It's just a crush. They happen all of the time. I'm not going to let it ruin my marriage. I'm not in love with you or anything. I'm just drawn to you. At first, I thought it was the type of fae you were, but I did some research on Valkyrie. Sex appeal isn't exactly your number one priority. You're more likely to cut a man's head off before taking him to your bed, or a woman for that matter." Lauren noticed the amused expression on Tamsin's face, which caused her to both stiffen and relax. "I want to be friends. I like you, and sure, part of that is because I find you attractive. I don't have a good answer on how to solve this."

"What if you kissed me? I could die a happy woman when the succubus finally slits my throat, and you can go on knowing that our thing was just a thing and not the real thing like you have with Bo."

"You called her by her name." Lauren smirked slightly before letting out a chuckle. "I'm not going to kiss you. Do I feel like I want to? Sure. Bo knows it, too. It's why she probably hates you so much."

"You're stronger than most people give you credit for." Tamsin leaned back into the couch cushions again, though she never broke eye contact. "No wonder I find you so damn sexy."

"I have to be honest: I kind of expected our thing to become a problem on this trip. It's why I was still a little apprehensive about you coming. Not because I didn't think we could control ourselves, but because I didn't know what to expect. Bo is already jealous. I didn't want to add fuel to the fire, and if what you're saying is true, that somehow you are being affected by this house, maybe we shouldn't stay as long as we planned."

"That's not necessary, Lauren. I can keep my hands to myself. I'm not stupid. This isn't some Arthurian tale where Bo is Arthur and I'm Lancelot, coming to save Guinevere from a passionless existence." Tamsin sat up again and leaned forward to kiss Lauren's cheek. It was slow, warm, and wet. Lauren glanced down to her lap, relishing in the feeling. Tamsin leaned back, lips still close to Lauren's face. If Lauren wanted to, she could easily bring their lips together without much movement. "That wasn't passion or love; just an infatuation. I don't let even this much happen to me often, but you are special. You're part of something bigger than yourself, though. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see what that was."

"So, you'll behave?" Lauren smirked, already knowing the answer.

"Like that will ever happen." Tamsin moved slowly away from her again before standing from the couch. "It's good that you and Bo are reminded sometimes that Bo isn't the only sex goddess in your relationship. There are any number of fae out there that want to jump you just as much. I'll just be there to remind you sometimes, since too many fae are chicken shits to go up against the mighty unaligned succubus."

"So, we can agree we both like each other and resolve that nothing will ever happen." Lauren rubbed the nonexistent dust from her thighs before standing next to Tamsin. "I can deal with that. Walk me back to my room?"

"Oh, how very co-ed dorm fantasy of you." Tamsin nodded her head to the library door, following behind when Lauren exited the room. The walk back was quiet; their talk seemed to relieve some of the tension that usually emanated between them. Lauren was thankful for that. "No good night kiss?"

"Not on your life." Lauren smirked at her but didn't move to go into her room. She bit her lip and stared at the beautiful woman in front of her. "I have a feeling you don't actually put yourself out there that much like this."

"I get all kinds of play, if I want it." Tamsin didn't seem offended; just uncomfortable about the slight change in direction.

"Yeah, but how often do you want it?" Lauren found herself suddenly concerned that she was actually hurting the woman's feelings. She didn't know why she cared so much. "I would go there, with you, if I wasn't so in love with Bo. She's been the only person in my life who wasn't apparently sent after me or had some weird agenda."

"Yeah, well, she's a succubus. Their agenda is usually pretty clear." Tamsin moved forward to rub her hand down Lauren's arm until their hands were loosely clasped together. "If I had met you before Bo, then maybe we would have hooked up. We probably could have even been mildly happy, but if we're honest, the second Bo entered into your picture, and we both know that would have happened eventually, destiny and all, I would have gotten my heart broken. I'm just glad I met you after; saves a lot of collateral damage."

"The fact that we're from opposing clans and would be breaking the human/fae laws would have no jurisdiction on our supposed relationship." Lauren liked how easy she felt around Tamsin. The detective usually put on an air of toughness and badassness around everyone. The fact that she could let her hair loose, even just the slightest, around her made Lauren feel like the woman would be in their lives for several years to come. She hoped her gut instinct was right; it was rare that she trusted this easily. "Good night, Tamsin."

"Good night, Lauren." Tamsin leaned the little bit of distance between them to kiss her cheek again, lingering a little longer than last time and running her hand slowly down Lauren's arm in the process. When she moved away, she lingered by Lauren's face just a little bit, obviously breathing and calming herself. If anyone else did this, Lauren would probably be freaked, but she only felt comfort in the gesture. "See you in the morning, Guinevere."

Lauren just waved, not able to hide her goofy grin. While she felt confident that nothing would ever happen between them, she was glad they at least acknowledged their mutual attractions. It would be easier to ignore them that way.

She looked up, hand lingering where Tamsin had just kissed her cheek, before smiling like the teenage girl she was in that moment. It was knowing that her very adult and mature relationship was waiting on the other side of the door, one that sometimes reverted to teenage hormones, that made Lauren sigh in contentment.

She had to admit. It felt good to be desired, especially considering how many people she saw openly desiring Bo all of the time.

Looking up, Lauren noticed Kenzi standing there, looking concerned but stock still in place by her own room, which she had insisted on sharing with Vex. Nobody argued once the couple started acting like children again. If they wanted to have a sleepover, Lauren wasn't going to argue. Kenzi was a big girl, even if Bo was not sold on the idea. She passed out before she could argue anymore.

"You need to lock that shit down, Doc." Kenzi was gripping a glass of water, and Lauren wasn't sure where she even got it from. Her exploration hadn't allowed her to go much further than the library. "I can't believe I have to have this conversation with you, but if you cheat on Bo, it'll destroy her."

"I'm not cheating on Bo." Lauren smiled, knowing there was no need to even act defensive.

"Not yet anyways." Kenzi walked across the wide hall to come stand next to her, as though the tiny stature would be intimidating. "It looked like you two were well on your way to the Love Train; next stop, Adultery Town."

"It's not like that." Lauren closed her eyes. Now she _was_ acting defensive; there was no need, she had to remind herself. "Tamsin and I like each other, sure, and Bo even knows that, but we're not going to do anything about it. In fact, that was what that entire conversation you probably heard was about."

"I didn't hear any conversation. I didn't have to hear any words to pick up on those serious vibes." Kenzi stopped trying to act intimidating and seemed to decide a switch of roles was a better tactic, as she came to lean against the wall next to Lauren, taking sips of her water as they both stood there. "I guess I can't really say anything. Hale and I always have those vibes, and nothing's ever going to happen there. Vex and I have those vibes. Even Dyson and I used to have some vibes. Nothing ever happened. Bo trusts you, and honestly, I do, too, but how much do we really know about our resident dark fae badass warrior chick? What makes you so positive she won't make a move? What makes you so positive that if she does, you'll be able to resist? Even I can admit the appeal there."

"I see all of these people lusting after Bo day in and out, I guess I got caught up in somebody else feeling that way about me. It's not something I'm used to; not something I get a lot." Lauren let her body slide down the wall to the floor, feeling tired yet wired at the same time. Kenzi took a deep breath before sitting down next to her, placing herself in the butterfly pose to where they could see each other.

"People want you, doc. You're just too blinded by your own want for our girl to notice." Kenzi leant forward to place a hand on Lauren's ankle in comfort. "Bo has this nifty succubus thing going as an excuse, but I think she sometimes forgets just how human her ideals about relationships still are. Even if you're cool with her feeding elsewhere and healing elsewhere when necessary, you'll notice, as I am sure you have, that she hasn't been getting into too many dangerous situations the past year. When she does, you're able to heal her just fine. She knows you won't cheat on her, but I think she's starting to realize that the rules in your relationship are a little one sided."

"I don't want anyone else, though." Lauren leaned back hard against the stone wall. This castle was so old, and the long hallways caused their voices to echo slightly, so she dropped hers to an almost whisper. "I don't need to go outside our marriage."

"Sure, you don't need to, but I think it's more that it's a one-sided agreement. Bo is allowed to, so she may not want you to, but she is feeling it's unfair to tell you that you can't if you wanted to." Kenzi shook her head, probably confused from the late night mixed with the mead. "You've figured out that communication is important, and you're better for it, but that doesn't mean you don't need to process outside yourselves sometimes. You need friends outside of each other. Bo wasn't that threatened by Nadia because she knew you didn't want her back, but this new girl? Like you said, Bo knows it's mutual, so that well thought out married-to-a-succubus plan you had may need some addendums added. Bo's good at keeping the sex life alive, if you let her, but there's only so many times you can master the _Kama Sutra_ before you get bored and long for something else."

"I won't get bored of Bo." Lauren knew that, but she did have to wonder if she would ever bore Bo. After all, Bo had appetites that went beyond anything Lauren had ever experienced. The succubus had always held back and been respectful of Lauren's comfort zone. She actually felt a bit guilty that she hadn't even considered many pages in the _Kama Sutra_. They never really had time to do much with exploration; not anymore since Briann was born. Not that Lauren was opposed to them, though some she questioned whether they were possible. They had proven they were, the night Briann was possibly conceived, and they were still proving that position every once in a while. So, why not try new things? What could it hurt?

"You say that now, but in reality? You may be looking at a few centuries together. You gotta break free from the vanilla at some point, Lauren." Kenzi took a deep breath and smiled, rolling her eyes to the air. "I'm not saying Bo won't want you. Lord knows, she can't keep her paws off you long enough to even consider it, but maybe that's why you're drawn to somebody else. Maybe your subconscious is telling you it's time for something new. That doesn't mean someone new; just something. I'm not saying doing some magic sex moves with Bo is going to stop the thing you got going with Detective Broody, but it could definitely help with making Bo feel better about the situation."

"I'm not sure how comfortable I am with you giving me sex advice." Lauren scrunched her brow, realizing how uncomfortable this conversation actually was. "You have sex on the brain. So did Tamsin and Bo, so I'll bet Vex does, too. While I'm not discounting what you're saying, I find it hard to believe my subconscious is attracted to Tamsin just because I'm not kinky enough with my wife. Kenzi, I think something in this castle is affecting everyone's hormones."

"That would explain my urge to lay a big one on you." Kenzi spread out her legs to kick Lauren lightly with her foot. "I'm just kidding, doc." She smirked before scrunching her eyes a little and looking off to the side. "Sort of."

"Other than that, what else do you feel?" Lauren went on high alert. She knew something had felt strange in the air.

"Free, I guess, like I can do whatever I want to regardless of consequences." Kenzi seemed to think a bit more. "I also have a strange urge to pick grapes and dance naked around a big bonfire. Do we have Johnny Depp's number?"

"Oh, oh no." Lauren was definitely on alert now. Of course this trip wouldn't be simple; of course her careful planning wouldn't work. When had planning things since meeting Bo ever work like she wanted? "Kenzi, I think this is some sort of trial. It's not just a trip for Briann. I think we just started something bigger than we expected. Tamsin was right."

"What do you mean, doc?"

"We're being tested."

"So, being ridiculously horny is a test?" Kenzi seemed more amused than surprised. "I think Bo passes that test on a daily basis. Go wake her up and try some of those new positions. Get your usual A+, and we can move on."

"I'm not sure it works like that." Lauren started recalling all the knowledge she could remember about birthright tests, but she couldn't recall anything about sex and desire. Tamsin must have come looking for her instead of just randomly showing up in the library. No wonder she suggested sex and kissing. It was odd that she even acknowledged their mutual attraction. "Bo is asleep, so that's a good thing. Having a succubus asleep when a pheromone increase is in the air is probably a good idea. You're right; I should make sure she stays in control. This could be potentially dangerous."

"I can make sure Vex is okay." Kenzi was comfortably straight, so of course she would latch onto the only male in their group. No wonder they had insisted on rooming together.

"Kenzi, you may want to stay with us tonight. If you sleep with Vex, you may not forgive yourself when this test is over." Lauren propped herself back up and pulled the young woman with her. She gripped her hand in Kenzi's, almost motherly, before ushering her away from where she was staring and trying to shuffle back to her room. "We can figure this out in the morning. Sleep before a big test is always crucial to success, and I have a feeling if we don't pass whatever this is, we won't like what happens."

"Can I snuggle with you and Bo?" Kenzi moved her hand to touch Lauren's hip, but it was more awkward than anything. She immediately apologized. "Okay, so yeah, you're definitely right. Bad idea to Mesmer it tonight. I will crash with Briann. Nothing like being around a baby to remind you of the consequences of sex. I do not want Alexie to have a half-Vex for a brother, though that would be a cute baby. No, my poor son is already going to be traumatized enough. I don't need to add to the craziness."

"I wonder why I'm not affected. It makes sense why Briann wouldn't be, but why not me?" Lauren was talking to herself more, as she walked further into the large room. Bo was clearly taking up most of the bed, sprawled across it and still passed out from the mead earlier. Was it the drink? No, Lauren had some of it, too; not as much, but enough that it would affect her if that was what was doing this.

What if it was this place? Being here? What if they triggered something when they walked through the door? It wasn't unlikely for an old fae castle like this to have some sort of mystical barrier for protection. A thought occurred to her, and she made sure Bo was still asleep and Kenzi was curling onto the couch next to the old crib the servants had placed in here.

Lauren tried to retrace her footsteps to the front entrance, using the mini flashlight she had with her to help guide her. They had come to discover that old abandoned castles did not equal electricity or central air. At least it was comfortable hot instead of ridiculous hot. That didn't stop Bo from pulling off all of her clothes and sleeping in the nude, though.

When she got to the entrance, she pulled open the large wooden door and tried to walk out. She was right: a barrier. She couldn't even walk past the doorframe; it just bounced her back.

"Shit." Without any real light, she couldn't exactly rummage through the book shelves for answers. Bo was passed out, and so was Vex. Tamsin could help her, but if this thing was affecting their hormones, then the woman may believe Lauren was changing her mind by coming to her room. She had a feeling it wouldn't be as easy to thwart the woman's advances the second time. Lauren rushed back up the stone staircase, past the hanging plants, and into the bed chambers. Once inside, she locked the door. She thought about warning Tamsin, just in case she and Vex crossed paths, but it was too dangerous. Since they had no electricity, they had no way of charging cell phones, so they all turned them off unless they had an emergency.

This was definitely an emergency, but Tamsin would have no way of knowing that, so a text or call wouldn't even get to her. That didn't mean Lauren couldn't call Trick or Gram. Since it was more likely Gram had been here before, Lauren started there.

"Lauren, dear, how is the trip going so far? I was just about to call Kenzi before I put Alexie to bed." Gram sounded chipper, and Lauren could hear Alexie telling some imaginative story to somebody. "It's past midnight there. Shouldn't you be getting some rest?"

"We actually have no electricity, so all of our phones are off except for emergencies, just in case we don't have any for the entire trip." Lauren cleared her throat, trying to decide how to explain this to her grandmother. "We may have triggered some defense or barrier. All I know is we can't leave, and all of the adults except for me seem to be…in the mood."

"'In the mood,' Lauren? What are we? In 1940?" She chuckled slightly. "I don't remember there ever being a barrier or defense like that. Harold's family was more into the vine capturing and strangling you type of defense."

"What is it, then, and why does it feel like a test? What didn't you tell us before we left?" Lauren didn't mean to sound angry, but she didn't want to think what would happen when Bo woke up and was out of control around the increased lust. "Sorry, just…putting a succubus in a porn studio? Not a good idea. Same rules apply here."

"You say you're the only one not being affected?" Gram was walking away from wherever she was. Lauren figured she was going someplace out of ear shot, which meant Dyson and his wolf hearing were probably right there. "Do you feel any different at all?"

"Not really."

"Your sex drive changed any?" Gram was trying to hint at something, but Lauren couldn't figure out what, since it really hadn't. Everything was working like normal in that department.

"No, I'm still me in that regard." Lauren knew for certain she felt sexual attraction because she had just shot down the idea of any sexual encounters ever happening with Tamsin, and it would have been so easy just then. Lauren recognized her familiar body flush and erratic heartbeat. Plus, Bo sprawled out naked in the bed earlier? "Yes, everything is working normal for me. It's the others who have the increase."

"A test, hmm…" Gram was processing. Lauren heard the familiar tongue clicking her grandmother always did when she went into think mode. "I don't know what they involve, but it is possible that you have started the trials to prove worthiness of the throne."

"Wait. I thought it was a sure thing once you signed those documents." Lauren sat down on the couch where Kenzi's legs were bent. The young woman looked up at her through sleepy eyes. At least, Lauren hoped they were sleepy and not hooded from desire. That would have been awkward; then again, Kenzi did have a recurring sex dream about her. She could label it a "sexy" all she wanted, but they had gotten down in her dreams. "Bo has to go through trials now, too? What the fuck, Gram?"

"Did you just say fuck to your grandma?" Kenzi chuckled, as she maneuvered herself onto her back, seeming to be interested in Lauren's panic all of a sudden.

"They shouldn't be hard; just rites of passage. Trials to prove you are ready to take the throne. If you're not, then you try again until you are. No big deal." Gram sounded so casual, which only made Lauren rub her face harder. She couldn't dispel the sudden stress headache. "That means that something happened that triggered the trials. I thought you were waiting until Briann was older, or I would have mentioned them to you before you left."

"So, what? We just pass or fail? What happens if we pass?"

"Then, Bo has accepted the throne, and you return home with an entire world instead of four separate kingdoms united." There was something in Gram's voice that made Lauren think her grandmother was worried. "Bo was brought back to life by Samael's influence, right?"

"Yes."

"Whose life did he take to revive hers?" Gram was right. Samael wasn't able to revive Bo on his own; the only way to pull someone back from death was to be given life essence, and it had to be voluntary. Lauren may have been tired and stressed and prepping for a possible test, but her brain was still working just fine. Only one thing made sense.

"Aoife died around the same time Bo did. Do you think it's possible?" Lauren knew it was possible. She wanted confirmation more than anything.

"Absolutely possible." Gram was confirming more that this was the answer instead of just a possibility. Lauren leaned back in the couch, her body dropping a little. Kenzi sat up, concern etched on her face now. "The ultimate mother's love and sacrifice. A succubus in line to take the throne is revived from death. Lauren, dear, I'm sorry. I'm an idiot. I should have known this would happen."

"You don't have all the answers, Gram. It's okay." Lauren smacked Kenzi's hand away as she tried to take the phone from her. "Is there anything you can tell us about what to expect with these trials?"

"Regardless if you pass or fail, you need to complete Briann's rituals, and do not worry if you fail. Don't try to fail on purpose, either. The trial will know and reset until you put forth actual effort." Gram knew Lauren hated to fail, and it was almost like they were being set up for it. "There are four, one at each station, and they'll test any number of skills necessary to rule. The only advice I can give you is communicate and work together. I know with Vex there, he's a difficult creature, but he will understand the importance of this. So will young Tamsin. If they give you any trouble, you call me, and I will straighten them out."

"Thanks, Gram. Here's Kenzi, if you want her to tuck in Alexie for the night." Lauren handed the young woman the phone and walked away to leave them some privacy. If she had not already expelled all of her emotional trauma out in her recent breakdown, Lauren had a feeling she would be in a coma right now. When she said she wanted to know all of her family secrets, she didn't honestly expect to learn them all in day, only to turn around and learn even more stuff had been following them around without them being aware.

The world really did feel like it was setting them up for failure at this. Lauren had to think of it in Angela Lewis terms. It was training for what was to come, to make them stronger. If they could survive this with Vex and Tamsin still alive by the end, mostly because Bo didn't kill them, then they could definitely manage anything. Kenzi turned off the phone and seemed to understand that Lauren wasn't in the mood to talk yet. She still had to process everything, so when Kenzi curled back up on the couch, Lauren went and curled under the covers with Bo. The naked form of her wife pushing further into made Lauren feel the instant heat rise in certain places, but it wasn't any different than normal.

For some reason, right now, she had a strong need to just hold her wife before the crazy started.


	27. Make Me Lose Control

The day had started out great. That should have given it away right then. Bo had woken up, a little hungover from the mead, feeling hornier than usual. Normally, during a hangover, she would roll over and try to snuggle with Lauren. To her surprise, she found Kenzi snuggled there instead. Bo tried to hold back her "I told you so" that Kenzi had snuck in here instead of staying the night with Vex. Still, she was extra horny and had really hoped her wife was beside her instead. So, she decided to mess with her best friend a bit by wrapping her arms tight and running her hands along Kenzi's exposed arms.

Kenzi swatted her away in her sleepiness, telling her to go find her wife down in the library. Upon inspection, Bo saw that Briann was missing, too. Exactly what time was it? It was hard to tell without clocks. All she knew was that it was daylight outside, and she had this strong urge to lean over and kiss Kenzi to take some chi just to hold her over until she could find Lauren. It was a fight with herself not to do that, which was strange. The young woman had apparently had one crazy wet dream because her aura was explosive.

Bo had to clear her throat and get out of there fast. She found her bag and made her way to the bathroom. Unfortunately, Vex was in there, just standing around naked and appraising himself in the full length mirror. Bo did not need to see that. She could live the rest of her life without ever seeing that again.

Still, regardless of the suddenly sexually appealing Vex, Bo caught her eyes flashing at his intense energy. It took everything in her not to jump him for chi, too. The thought that she might jump him for other things crossed her mind, and she had to shudder from the images that brought. He excused himself, still walking around naked, while Bo went about taking a quick, somewhat warm bath. The servants in the castle seemed to appear when she decided a long soak was in order, like they were reading her mind. She had to stop herself from playing with one blonde girl's hair quite a few times. Again, her eyes kept flashing and her hunger was intense. She had just fed quite a bit from Lauren the other night, so she should have been good.

Was it being in this place? She could admit something felt different after they walked in the door, and it only intensified after they finished Briann's ritual here. Still, that didn't make sense why she felt her control slipping. She was fighting it, which was something she hadn't felt in a long time. Her control had become second nature anymore because she was so smart about her feeding patterns thanks to her brilliant wife and her urging and willingness to please. Now, it felt like Bo had never even learned control at all.

After her bath, she brushed her teeth and let her long wet locks air dry. It was silly for them to bring hair products apparently, and the dryer was definitely a moot point. Bo hadn't expected that getting back to their ancestors actually meant subtracting centuries' worth of technology. Even though it had only been one night, Bo couldn't wait to soak in the big tub back home, Jacuzzi jets blowing hard, every light in the place on; preferably joined by her delicious wife.

Bo pulled on her running shorts and tank top over her sports bra. She decided a run around the castle grounds would be a great way to break free from some of this energy. When she tried to run out of the front entrance, Bo was thrown back on her ass, though. She had been tossed back like she had run into a vertical trampoline and landed on her ass and thigh hard. That meant there would be a bruise there very soon. She groaned when a servant came to help her stand, and she gripped his lapels and sucked the chi right out of him.

When he dropped, she panicked and leant down to check that he was still breathing. Luckily, he had a low pulse, but this was not good. Sure, she had healed, but she opened up something more dangerous by doing so. She had a craving now, and she pulled another passing servant to her and found herself pulling chi from him, as well, grinding on him a little more than the last one. Again, she panicked but managed to pile them together.

This was not good.

She had somehow managed to lose control. Lauren and that library room wouldn't be that far from where they slept last night, where Kenzi was probably still asleep, so Bo should have been able to make it there without a problem.

Another servant girl walked into the grand entrance and seemed to pause in fear. She made eye contact with Bo, who looked at her and couldn't stop herself from pouncing. The young woman threw the towels she was carrying and screamed in response as Bo held her down to the ground and sucked the chi from her, as well.

Bo barely registered anyone else in the room until she felt a sharp ping on her neck. She sat up and pulled a tranquilizer dart from her neck before promptly falling on top of the dead woman below her.

* * *

Lauren heard screaming from somewhere in the castle. The entire building echoed, so it made it hard to discover where it was coming from, but when she sensed that Bo was struggling and hungry, she had a feeling she knew at least why there was screaming. Lauren had been so engrossed in the texts she had pulled from the library's shelves at first light that she hadn't been paying enough attention to tell when her wife woke up.

Since Tamsin had come in to help her look, Lauren had watched the detective jump and react to the screams first. She followed quickly behind, praying to every god possible that Briann didn't wake from her nap over by the couches they were sitting on while she was left unsupervised. Through the morning, she and Tamsin had managed to build a small fort of books they went through, and Briann had walked over to them and laid down inside the stacks, promptly falling asleep after having a conversation with some of the ancient tomes. Lauren couldn't help but smile at her daughter.

Tamsin had been helpful, both of them seeming to silently agree that not sitting directly next to each other and staying focused on something else was ideal, especially once Lauren explained her theory about what was happening. Even if there some random longing glances, Lauren ignored them. She had a problem to solve, and she knew there wouldn't be much time until Bo was awake.

That was until the scream. Now, they had another problem to solve. Bo was awake. What Lauren saw when she reached Tamsin, who had a rifle pointed down into the grand entrance hall, was Bo slumped over a body, with two other bodies piled not far from her.

"Shit." Lauren ran down the smooth stone staircase, almost slipping twice on her descent. Tamsin wasn't far behind her, and Vex seemed to appear and run down to meet them, too. That's when she noticed what Vex was wearing. "Ohmygod, Vex, I told you what was happening. Go put some clothes on; you're not helping."

"I was helping myself. Trying to take off some of the edge." He came to bend down, at least putting his penis out of her line of sight now, and helped Tamsin pick up Bo.

"One: ew. Too much information." Lauren stood, relieved to at least find that the other two bodies were unconscious but still breathing. There wasn't anything she could do for the girl Bo had fallen on. She had to close her eyes to reel in the craziness of this situation. It seemed she discovered what this trial was, and it didn't look like they were going to pass. "Two: Take Bo back up to the library. I'll keep watch on her. Tamsin, you can go wake Kenzi; she's less likely to make a pass at you." She pointed at Vex. "And you, go put some clothes on."

"Yes, your majesty." Vex huffed as they moved Bo's dead weight up the stairs. "Hey, watch the junk!"

"It shouldn't have been dangling where my leg was moving." Tamsin took the lead as they climbed the stairs. Lauren just watched after them until she could only hear their bickering down the upper hallway toward the library. She took a deep breath, and looked at the ridiculously tall ceiling. How did they hang so many plants up there?

She heard someone clear their throat before looking to see another servant standing there, obviously waiting on orders. She imagined, working here, they had seen a lot of crazy things, so she decided she would just focus on the important stuff.

"Do you have a doctor in service?" Lauren motioned down to the two bodies. The young man simply nodded, and she moved over to check the two men on the ground. "They're still breathing, but they had a lot of life essence removed. They'll need a lot of electrolytes and protein to replenish their energy. Do you have any pickle juice?"

"Yes. We just made a new batch before you came." The young man, who sounded like he belonged as the high-pitched singer in a boy band, followed her as she moved over to the dead young woman on the floor.

"Good. Have the doctor help them." She bent down on her knees to confirm again that the young woman was dead. "Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do for her. Does she have family?"

"A husband and daughter." The young man seemed saddened, and Lauren could understand why. Bo wouldn't be able to see her victims right now; she would only be concerned with feeding. When she came to, and if they got through this, Lauren decided not to tell Bo about the young woman's family. It was unnecessary guilt to give her. Bo would already be devastated that she killed again.

"Alert them, and we'll do whatever we can to compensate. I know there's not much that can replace a mother and wife, but we'll do our best." Lauren stood, making sure the young man was paying attention. If he had paper and pen, he would probably be taking notes. "Have her moved wherever she should go. We'll be up in the study, and I'll be doing my best to make sure this doesn't happen again. Meanwhile, have someone bring up lunch and dinner; nothing that will spoil for sitting out all day. Then, have everyone stay locked in their quarters just in case. I think we can figure things out if we need them."

"Of course. You should see vittles within the hour." He tucked his hands behind his back and nodded forward slightly. "Madam, should I send mead?"

"No!" Lauren realized she sounded a little harsh. "I mean, that won't be necessary. The last thing we need to do is add fuel to the crazy succubus fire. Just the food will be fine. Thank you."

He nodded before disappearing. Lauren had to trust he would get things done; he didn't seem like he would disobey. She took one last look at the room, bodies littering the ground, before taking a deep breath and going back to the library. They would need to figure this out sooner than later.

After the food was brought, Kenzi and Vex seemed to appear as if on cue. At least Vex had managed to pull on some tight shorts, though his lack of a shirt was not appreciated. Actually, from Kenzi's eyeing, it didn't seem like she minded. Lauren and Tamsin weren't fans, though.

When Briann woke from her nap, Lauren sent Kenzi to go play with her. She couldn't deal with the hormonal teenage nightmare that was Kenzi and Vex right now; they were being too flirty and touchy feely, which was overly distracting because neither were helping much at all in the research department. It didn't take long to kick Vex out, either, after Kenzi was gone. That left her and Tamsin to study, while they waited for Bo to wake.

"This just doesn't make sense. I see what's happening, but why am I not affected?" Lauren huffed back, her eyes overly tired and blurring from her seemingly constant reading. The sun was starting to set in the windows, and they wouldn't have much time left to read. It would be harder to read by candlelight. That meant they would be stuck here another day. It was probably going to take them three days or more to finish just this first ritual site, and she had only requested ten days off for this trip. Lachlan was going to be pissed if she was locked away in this castle still because there was no escaping until they either passed or failed, and Gram had said failing on purpose was not an option; no matter how appealing that sounded right now.

"Well, we're all super hyped on sexual energy, right? Isn't that Bo's thing?" Tamsin put down her own book. Lauren didn't think she could thank this woman enough for helping her today. "I mean, it does make sense. These trials are supposed to be tests to see if you're ready for the throne. What better way to do that than to pick the best or worst parts of you? To put you in situations that are possible, just to check if you can survive them?"

"Okay, that does make sense, but why not me? Why am I fine?" Lauren decided to call it a night. She wouldn't be able to get through another book before the sun completely set. It was already darkening quite a bit in this room.

"Well, this is what you feel every day because of your bond. Didn't you mention something about being extra connected to Bo? That was why she went all comatose back when I was surveying your sister's scene." Tamsin decided it was time to move closer, so she came to sit next to Lauren on the couch instead of being sprawled out on the floor in front of the fireplace. They could burn that for some extra reading light, but it was just too hot already. "So, this is you every day. You're already extra sexy. You don't need the extra boost or help like some of us do."

"You're beautiful, Tamsin. You know that."

"I didn't say I wasn't; just that you and Bo share fae stuff, so this thing probably isn't affecting you because it doesn't need to." She had a point. Lauren did understand that her genes had to be altered a little in order to keep up with being bonded to a succubus. She had years of experience with her control already.

"Tamsin, you're a genius!" Lauren stood, walking over to check Bo's pulse. She should be waking soon. "It's all about control; particularly Bo's. Every one is ramped up to hyper sexual right now. Put a succubus in that situation, and it's hard for her to keep her control. That's what this test is; it's about control, particularly Bo's."

"Okay, but why does her test happen in your family's castle? That doesn't make sense." Tamsin came to stand next to her, and Lauren pulled up from where she was crouched next to Bo's body. The detective helped pull her, and they kept their hands together. Lauren didn't even register much beyond the fact that they were holding hands.

"If the tests were designed to see if we could rule together, then we would be losing the best or worst parts of ourselves and combining the family lines. So, yeah, it does make sense, actually." Lauren smiled and squeezed Tamsin's hand. "We're proving that we're destined to rule together, as a couple. Not just Bo."

"Just so we're clear, I'm not bowing when the time comes." Tamsin moved closer, their bodies almost touching, and that's when Lauren really noticed their proximity. Her breath hitched, and she had to close her eyes so she wouldn't notice Tamsin about to kiss her.

When the kiss never came and Tamsin let go of her hand, Lauren opened her eyes, mildly surprised to find the Dark Fae detective dangling in the air. Bo, blue eyed and skin completely flushed, was holding her high by the throat. Tamsin was choking, and Lauren panicked.

"Bo, baby, no." Lauren could tell Bo was fighting everything in her not to just suck the other woman dry. Still, her eyes remained flashing azure, and her teeth remained bare like she was going to literally eat Tamsin. This was Bo without her control. This wasn't Bo at all; it was pure succubus right now. "Bo!"

"Fine." Bo did throw Tamsin a little, though she did release her. Lauren made eye contact with the detective, who seemed to understand now was a time to run. When she was gone, Lauren turned back to Bo, who still held her glowing red skin and blue eyes. Now that the threat was gone, she was now focused on Lauren, who felt wave after wave of intense energy surrounding their bond. She almost orgasmed just from the eye contact.

Bo seemed to find that a particularly good time to pounce, as she attached their lips and bodies together, pushing them over to fall onto the couch closest to them. Lauren felt it, too. She had to touch Bo. She had to feel skin against skin. Apparently, her control went, too. This time, the screams were ones of pleasure and uncontrolled ecstasy. Lauren hoped that Tamsin knew the difference and wouldn't come bursting in with a tranq gun again.

They were at it for probably hours, if the moon shining brightly in the stained glass windows was any indication, though it felt like it wasn't long enough. She wanted more. Bo had managed to calm down, her skin no longer pulsing red, though her eyes were still flashing blue every once in a while.

"I love you." Lauren leaned up, detaching her body and feeling the sweaty and sticky as she pulled away to sit up. Bo just lounged back, looking every bit the pleased predator she was, as she wrapped her legs around Lauren's torso. She leaned her head back on the couch back behind her, feeling every bit as exhausted as she felt. Wrapping her hands around the leg on her lap, Lauren started to massage the mixture of smoothness and excited flesh. "I love you. We'll figure this out."

"I love you, too." Bo sat up slightly, pushing her body up on her elbows. She looked like she was ready for round 15 already. Lauren needed a minute, though. "Besides, I don't think anyone would bend like you just did if you didn't love me. It's why your chi is always so much better; the love that comes with it? I can feel it while you fill me."

"Now's not the time for dirty jokes, Bo." Lauren still chuckled anyways, despite her blush. "Chi."

"Yep, yours is the best. It's partially why I'm so protective of you. The succubus in me doesn't want anyone else to take what is mine." Bo did sit up fully now, making sure their bodies were always touching, her hands playing with Lauren's hair. "I'm sorry I almost choked Tamsin. If you could have seen what I saw just then, you would have understood."

"Tamsin isn't going to be a problem." Lauren chuckled again. "And I think you actually scared the piss out of a Valkyrie warrior. I doubt she'll ever even talk to me again after that.

"I wanted to suck her dry just for thinking dirty thoughts about you."

"Chi." Lauren looked up at the ceiling, now lost in thought. Something was there, but her sex addled brain wasn't processing as fast. Of course they would fuck hardcore instead of making love; that would have helped so much with the extra processing power right now. Lauren was not complaining, though; even if her muscles were overly sore from that extreme bending Bo mentioned. "You didn't feed from me just now."

"No, I didn't." Bo leaned back again, huffing as she went. "Oh, but I really wanted to. My god, I wanted to take everything you were and completely consume you." She looked up, sadness dominating her expression. "I wanted to, Lauren, and that scares me. I'm still so hungry, and it's taking everything in me not to take you right now."

"Feed from me, Bo." Lauren sat back up and maneuvered herself to face her wife. She looked shocked but not unwilling.

"Did you not just hear me? I want to suck you dry." Bo pulled her legs back from Lauren's lap, though they didn't go far since the couch wasn't that big. "You saw what I did to those poor kids downstairs, and their energies were dull. Yours is like crack to me."

"That's just it, Bo. Mine is stronger; we're stronger." Lauren moved until her body was laying on top of Bo's, their skin contacting completely again. Bo wrapped her arms around her out of instinct, not doing much to protest physically the panic she was feeling internally and verbally. Lauren moved one hand down to Bo's pelvis, teasing as she moved her way down into Bo's wetness, urging her to take control. "You won't hurt me. I trust you."

"I'm not sure…" Bo gasped as Lauren hit her sensitive nerves. "Oh, god, I'm already gonna…"

"I know, Bo. Feed."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can." Lauren continued her ministrations as she placed hot, lingering kisses along Bo's jaw until she brought their lips together, pulling apart briefly, breaths still mingling. "You said it yourself; I'm more intense because of the love. Focus on the love; this isn't about pure lust. This is about us."

"Oh, oh…" Bo's breathing was already labored; it usually didn't take long when they were both equally sensitive. Couple that with the intense energy surrounding them and Bo having no control over her urges right now, and that made for one complacent succubus. Lauren felt it the instant Bo started feeding; it was warm, strong, breathtaking. That familiar shooting pain framed by intense consuming pleasure held something extra this time. Bo was giving everything she had; she was taking everything from Lauren. Yet, Lauren didn't care. She let herself go to the sensations, falling back on the couch when Bo screamed out her orgasm and took control to bringing Lauren with her, still pulling chi in slow bursts and prolonging the experience.

Bo took one more pull, bringing their lips together, and Lauren felt her body go motionless beyond her heavy breathing. Bo had never fed from her with such ferocity. It proved Bo always held back her true succubus, even with her. It was amazing how much control Bo showed in her daily life, and Lauren fell a little bit more in love with the woman still hovering above her, kissing her slowly to bring her back to life but no longer feeding.

"I told you." Lauren couldn't hide her own self-satisfied grin as they parted lips. "The biggest cliché ever: Love conquers all."

"Does this mean we passed?" Bo pushed herself over to the side, so they were still making full body contact. "Are they all going to be this easy? Because I don't mind solving all problems using this method."

"I'm sure you wouldn't." Lauren chuckled, wrapping her arm around the one Bo still had holding them together, keeping them from falling off of the couch. "And you think that was easy? Apparently, you didn't get the pleasure of seeing Vex, and I mean _all_ of Vex."

"Oh, trust me, babe. That was no pleasure." Bo giggled as she leaned down to place kisses along Lauren's neck. "How do we know if this worked?"

"We…" Lauren paused, relishing in the kisses, before they both jumped in alarm at the panicked screams coming from the hallway. Now would be a good time for Tamsin to appear with the tranq gun. Bo knew the voice was Kenzi's and was the first to jump. Before she got to the door, Lauren called her back to at least wrap a blanket around her naked, sweaty body. Bo nodded before doing just that, Lauren following behind in the same makeshift attire, as they made their way back to their sleeping quarters. Kenzi met them halfway down the hallway, rubbing her mouth harshly and cursing under her breath. "Everything okay?"

"Hells no, it's not okay." Kenzi wiped at her mouth again and started to spit on the ground a bit. "Warn a girl before leaving her alone to swap spit with Vex. If Briann wasn't sleeping, your kid would be scarred for life if she saw what I just did! Please tell me this will be over soon."

"I think it's safe to say it worked." Bo couldn't stop her laughing, as she escorted Kenzi back to the bathroom area. Lauren laughed, too, before making eye contact with Tamsin from down the hallway. She did have the tranq gun ready, just in case. Lauren smiled at her and waved. The detective nodded back before they both took a deep breath and Tamsin disappeared back into her room. It must have been later than they thought if Briann was asleep; that girl had an internal clock better than Lauren did.

Lauren walked down the old stone and marble hallways, walls adorned with various foliage, imagining her grandfather doing this same thing, though hopefully with more clothes on his body. She couldn't hide her blush, as she walked back to the library to clean up a bit. They would probably need to leave first thing in the morning to head to Trick's castle in Ireland. They had one test down, and it was the obvious one: Bo's succubus and control. If she was right, then the next test was going to be geared toward her. As she picked up her and Bo's scattered clothing, Lauren started to think of possibilities for the rest of their trials. She was pretty self aware, but did that mean anything when it came to the fae?


	28. I'm Not Sick, But I'm Not Well

Of course, when they arrived inside Trick's old castle in Edenderry, which had no electricity, either, much to everyone's groaned disapprovals, Lauren was not surprised when she turned around to pick up the bag she left in the entrance only to find they were stuck in here like they were at her own grandfather's castle.

Bo was bouncing around, seeming to touch everything she could in the grand hall entrance. This place was designed differently than the White's Nature Castle. There was a lot of red and a lot of flags hanging from the ceiling, probably signifying that the Blood King once resided here. Normally, Lauren would be able to recall what each of the words on the wall plaques said and who the emblems belonged to, but she seemed to be blank. That would usually bother her, to the point that she had to know the answer and would look it up until she did, but she just didn't care. Maybe it was being in this place. It did have ominous, dangerous, and intimidating qualities to it.

"What the hell does that say?" Lauren looked up again at one of the plaques beside where she was standing. All she could do was shrug, though she had a sudden urge to hit something, or even possibly fuck something. She would be okay with fucking something instead. Bo was looking particularly delicious today in her tight tank top, the girls on apparent display for more than comfort. The sex the other night had been amazing, and Lauren found herself ready to just take the succubus upstairs and bang her silly.

"You tell me; you're the one who speaks the language." Bo leaned over to kiss her cheek, and Lauren's face lit up. Maybe it wouldn't be hard to convince her. She wondered who would volunteer to watch Briann.

The one thing she noticed that was different about this place? The distinct lack of other people. The entire castle, inside and out, looked rundown. It was, for all intents and purposes, a decaying mess. Well, it _was_ empty until a strange old woman appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. Kenzi jumped and seemed to stab herself with something sticking out of the wall. Lauren couldn't keep in her chuckle.

"Ouch, castle. Watch what you're pointing at people." Kenzi turned around to curse at the wall, and Lauren noticed she was bleeding. It was so gross and awesome. There was a lot of blood coming through the once white blouse. It had always been a cute shirt on Kenzi, too; that was a shame. "At least buy me a drink first."

"Your dinner is ready in the dining hall. If you need anything, it should already be there for you." The woman seemed less than enthusiastic to be there, and she disappeared from wherever she came. It didn't really bother Lauren, but it did creep her out a little. She wouldn't let that show, though; she wanted Bo to think she was strong instead of someone who hides behind others in the face of fear. Lauren found herself flexing her muscles a bit, staring at her arms as she did so.

"Uh, Doc, a little help here?" Kenzi was holding her side with both hands.

"Oh, uh, right. That's me. Dr…uh, Lauren…the doctor." Lauren shook her head to clear the cobwebs, moving over to Kenzi a bit. "Ew, Kenzi. What the hell?"

"Here's your bag." Bo moved over to hand her the large leather bag. It was the one Lauren almost left on the porch instead of the one with her clothes. Her workout stuff was in the forgotten bag; maybe she could talk her wife into letting her borrow some of hers. She knew Bo wouldn't mind her working out nude, though; in fact, that sounded like a good idea. They could just ditch everyone and find a place to have sex. "Lauren, you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, babe. Sure, just…" Lauren cleared her throat, opening up the bag in front of her. She stared into it, not really even knowing where to start. "Wow, Dr. Lauren has so many fun tools to play with."

"You okay?" Tamsin came to stand next to her, too. Now, that was one fine piece of ass, too. Lauren smirked and nodded her head in appreciation of the body next to her when the Dark Fae detective stood close to her. Lauren only broke concentration when Bo went territorial. That was hot, too. Lauren wondered if they would be up for a threesome later; maybe then they could get over all of this tension between them. Yeah, she could brag to all her friends back home that she not only married the hottest chick ever but that she bagged two hot chicks at once. "Lauren?"

"Oh, right. Uh…" She started moving stuff around in the bag and came across some bandages. She pulled a small Bandaid from the kit and handed it to Kenzi. "Here. Take this and call me in the morning." She couldn't stop from laughing.

"Lauren?" Bo knelt down beside her, and Lauren had to bite her lip to hold in her emotions. Again, she smiled, trying to send the swagger vibes she had to the succubus next to her. "What's wrong?"

"Dammit, give me that." Vex grabbed the bag and started rummaging through the bag, lifting Kenzi's shirt.

"Hey! Keep your mitts off the merchandise. I thought we established that was a big mistake." Kenzi slapped his hand away but winced and fell slightly. He held her up and started to mess with her side.

"Yeah, you totally tapped that." Lauren went to high five Vex, who seemed confused but still allowed the gesture. "Good job, man."

"Hey, no tapping was done." Kenzi lowered her voice, as she allowed Vex to do whatever he was doing. Bo and Tamsin seemed a little concerned when Kenzi's wound was cleaned and a big hole was there. "Ow…watch it, Mesmer, before I serve your balls for dinner. A little help, Doc?"

"Kenzi, I don't think that's Lauren." Tamsin seemed to stand in a protective manner, like she was guarding everyone else from this "not Lauren" she was referring to. Lauren just nodded her head to send some swagger her way, too. The detective just smirked in response, though she did roll her eyes.

"No, she's Lauren." Bo walked closer and seemed to be searching for something behind her eyes. Lauren took that as a sign to kiss her, so she did. Bo pushed her away. "Hey! Not that I'm opposed because I'm still running on residual energy from yesterday, but…best friend bleeding with a hole in her body? Kind of takes precedence. Can you help Vex or not?"

"Yeah, doc, I can clean the wound, maybe stop it from it from bleeding for a while with my powers, but this bloody thing is going to be ripe with infections, and as much as I'm loathe to admit it, I'm not the best with a needle and thread." Vex pointed to the hole. "This is going to need some professional stitching. My short-lived stint as a Medic in World War I isn't going to do much good here, now is it?"

"Uh…" Lauren just stared at the hole in Kenzi's body, not sure where to even start. "I don't know."

"Has she gone daft?" Vex looked over at Bo, concern written on his face now. Why was everyone looking at her like she had lost her mind?

"Lauren?" Bo placed a hand on Lauren's thigh, but this time, she got mad instead of turned on by the contact.

"Yes, my name is Lauren. I do know that much." She got angry, as she pushed herself up. "I'm going to find the dining hall. I'm hungry."

With that, Lauren walked away from them. Even if Kenzi's wound was kind of cool looking, she didn't want to be around anybody now. They kept questioning her, and that made her uncomfortable. Not when she had no idea what to tell them.

* * *

Bo looked down at Kenzi, who was still holding her side as she lay on the bed shaking. Tamsin had tried stitching, but Vex was right. The hole was too round and needed something advanced from Lauren's medical kit. Her best friend was going into shock right now from the loss of blood and possibly some infection from that old spear she rammed into earlier, and Bo felt helpless. This was Lauren's area of expertise.

Vex ran out to babysit Lauren, who had seemed to decide running and working out around the castle was of more importance than a possibly dying Kenzi.

This was bad.

What made it worse was that Bo was left with Tamsin to take care of Kenzi. The detective was at least being helpful where possible, though her bedside manner was extremely lacking.

"So, the one thing Lauren prides herself on?" Tamsin looked over at Bo, who was sitting on the other side of Kenzi. They had since decided to surround her to make her feel comfortable, since they had no idea where to even start since the stitching hadn't worked.

"Her intelligence." Bo should have known that from the beginning. She had thought that it was just the doctor thing, but too many comments and blank looks pointed to the loss of intelligence completely. She seemed to be nothing but hormones and energy. She didn't even hide her emotions that well. "Dammit, I was really hoping her doctor stuff and smarts would have been separated into two. Now I have no idea what to expect when we get to my father's castle."

"Toughen up, succubus. We obviously have to figure this out, right? That's the test. You've been stripped of your go to gal for knowledge and doctoring. You have to prove you don't need her for just that. You have to prove you're smart enough to figure this out yourself." Tamsin was right, and that just pissed Bo off that much more. She felt an overwhelming need to apologize to the woman now.

"Look, I'm sorry about last night. I shouldn't have tried to strangle you." Bo remembered feeling like it was the only solution at the time. She wondered what Lauren was really feeling right now beyond the freedom to run around and not be bogged down with finding the answers. Even if they didn't pass these tests, Bo could tell they were going to have a better understanding and appreciation of their marriage. This was one test she couldn't fail, though. Failing meant Kenzi died, and that wasn't an option.

"Well, I was about to go for it with your honey. All of those hormones flying around me? Even I couldn't control it much longer." Tamsin turned the towel over in her hand, placing the cleaner side against Kenzi's wound. "Lauren is amazing. That's not something I need to tell you, but I don't have a death wish. If we weren't in that situation, I never would have actually done anything. She wasn't even going to do anything at all. She said so enough times."

"Still, I'm sorry." Bo looked at her, trying not to panic that she held her best friend's life in her hands right now. She was so hopped up on chi from yesterday that she couldn't think about anything else. She didn't want to think about the test they knew was coming once they entered the castle. Instead, they took the day in the village to stock up on some supplies and charge their phones where there was electricity. Lauren, proving her intelligence even more, was the only one who had packed universal charger adaptors. When they got here, Bo was kind of expecting it to take longer for the test to manifest. Of course, that's not the way the world worked, so she had to admit the brilliance behind the tests so far. It only made her more nervous about what was to come because she would _not_ fail this one. Kenzi would not die on her watch.

"I've got your back, Bo. This is more than the Morrigan assigning me to you." Tamsin pushed a little harder on the wound when Kenzi tried to move in her passed out state. "I believe in what you're doing, and I'm here to help however I can. We need to think of something quick because I feel my ancestors calling me. She doesn't have much longer."

"Shit." Bo stood from her panic when Kenzi coughed up some blood to further prove the point, causing Tamsin to completely take over applying pressure. "I mean, what do I do? I don't know what to do. Dammit, I should have paid more attention to what Lauren was actually saying instead of just being turned on by her saying nerdy doctor things."

"Think, Bo. Healing is in your genetic code. Remember that you're part of Lauren." Tamsin had to move and grab another towel. The bed, the towels, their clothes, themselves. Everything was covered in blood. The blood of her best friend. Kenzi's blood. "Think, Bo."

"I…" She moved over to stare at her friend, and on instinct, she leaned over and placed her lips over Kenzi's, pushing any reserves of chi she possibly had. It was all she had to give. It was the only thing she could think to do right now.

Kenzi coughed blood into her mouth and Bo leaned back in shock. Her eyes widened when she noticed her friend's panicked eyes and labored breathing.

"Did I get roofied again?" Kenzi managed to croak out as she came to. Looking up at Bo, she narrowed her eyes. "You really need a mint, babe." She tried to sit up but couldn't. Tamsin went about grabbing one of the last clean towels and using it to wash the dried blood around the wound. It had closed but Kenzi still looked pale and weak. Bo assumed it was from the loss of blood. "Is that my blood?"

"Bloody hell!" Bo could hearing Vex screeching, his voice echoing in the grand entrance. They had found the room closest to the entrance so they wouldn't have to move Kenzi far. "Bo! Bo, get your ass out here. We may have a situation, love."

Bo looked down at her best friend, not wanting to leave her side ever again. Kenzi seemed to understand, though.

"Go, Bo. Do your thing." Kenzi tried sitting up again but failed. Despite her lack of a bedside manner, Tamsin seemed to pick up the situation and ran out to see what the problem was. Bo looked down at Kenzi, the reality of her friend's mortality being way too close to them right now. "I'm okay, Bo. It sounded serious."

"Not as serious as this. I don't know that I fixed you completely. You could have infections or something."

"BoBo, all I'm feeling right now is weak." Kenzi looked around the bed to probably assess the damage. "Apparently from the lack of blood actually in my body." She looked back up at Bo. "So, I'm fine. I just feel weak…and like I could lay one on you. Didn't I just go over this with Lauren the other day?" Kenzi looked up and probably saw Bo's amused expression. "I'm just kidding." She laid back down slowly, and Bo helped her, trying to make her as comfortable as possible. "Well, sort of."

"I'm flattered, Kenz. I'll be sure to find that mint." Bo realized that the garlic in that colcannon thing Lauren had ordered for lunch in the village this afternoon was probably not doing wonders for anyone's breath at the moment. Still, she had insisted this was the place Trick ordered them to go for lunch, including the colcannon suggestion. All Bo could figure was that somebody got tired of making separate side dishes and decided cabbage and mashed potatoes thrown together was a good idea. She had to admit it was good, but yeah, Kenzi was right. She did have some bad breath. Was it bad to want to brush her teeth right now?

"Bo, you're gonna wanna get out here fast." Tamsin came into the room, her shirt now covered not only in Kenzi's blood but torn in several places and exposing the smooth skin beneath. At least she hadn't been cut. "We're under attack."

"What?" Bo looked down one last time at Kenzi, who nodded that it was okay. She jumped up and followed the Valkyrie back to the grand entrance. Sure enough, Vex was holding off three assailants, several people already wounded or dead on the ground surrounding them. "So, he wasn't crying wolf."

"Not unless you count the werewolf whose neck I snapped before running up to get you." Tamsin pulled a sword from the wall and tossed it at Bo. "I've already locked Lauren in a closet downstairs. She was trying to help."

"She's trained." Bo slid down the banister, not even bothering with steps, and tackling one of the other creatures, whose teeth were bare but definitely not a wolf. They almost looked shark like, which could also attest for the gills on the side of his neck. "Ew."

"Should I let her out then?" Tamsin swung around and decapitated one of the creatures rushing in the door. "How many are there?"

"I don't know, love. I kind of stopped counting and started making them stab themselves instead. Seemed a better use of my time." Vex swung his hand to make one of the men attacking them instead stab another one of his own. "If the doc is trained, wouldn't be a bad idea to let her out, eh?"

"Not in this state. Lauren is all brawn and testosterone right now." Bo ducked as she fell the swoosh of the sword flying above her head. She felt it nick her hair a bit, but she focused on catching his neck when she stood back up, pulsing him. Her eyes turned blue, and he started attacking his buddies. "Not a good idea to unleash that. I would like my wife to live through this."

"You just fixed Kenzi, though. Shouldn't she be fine now?" Tamsin was right. Lauren should be okay, but Bo was too preoccupied. There were only two more left, and she wanted answers. Tamsin decapitated one of them, and Bo went to hold the final person, sending a heavy dose of pulse into him and feeding a bit to heal the cut she received and replenish some of the energy she expelled when healing Kenzi.

"Answers. Now." Bo held him by the collar, all succubus right now. "Who sent you? What is this about?"

"You can't make me talk, succubus." The creature, another shark-looking dude, spit blood in her face from where Vex had caused him to punch himself earlier. "We're immune to your powers."

"Yeah, well, are you immune to my knife?" Bo let go with one hand but still kept him close as she pulled the dagger from her thigh and pushed it roughly into his side, not too far from where Kenzi had been stabbed. Bo turned the knife a bit, maximizing the impact, but he almost seemed like he welcomed it. "Talk."

"You're not going to win. You'll never win. We'll just keep coming after you." He seemed to pull himself out of what little trance Bo had him in as he stabbed the knife further in and pulled it up along his abdomen until he was dead. Bo tossed his lifeless body to the ground on top of the large pile of bodies already there.

"What was this? How did they even get in here?" Bo looked to the door and walked over to it. That bag was still standing outside the doorway. She tried to exit but bounced back. "I don't get it. Kenzi's alive."

"You healed the wound, sure; stopped the bleeding, but did you really fix her?" Tamsin walked over to grab the spear that had stabbed Kenzi. "Look, Bo. It's rusted."

"That's no good." Vex pulled the spear from Tamsin's hand and examined it himself. "Whatever remedial medical school the good doctor went to? You may want to figure this out fast before your little pet gets some nasty infection."

"Dammit, somebody find the library." Bo huffed as she almost tripped over a body on her way back to Kenzi's bedroom. She passed the closet door where Lauren was pounding and yelling at them to release her. "And somebody let out my wife!"

* * *

Of course the library would be a bust. Modern medicine was vastly different than stone age medicine. The books she found were useless, which only frustrated Bo more. Kenzi seemed to be fine most of the time, but there were a few things that she noticed that weren't usual. She tried to make sure Kenzi was comfortable as possible, even when she started spasming a bit. Vex was on Lauren duty, and Tamsin was helping with the books. Bo may have felt better about Tamsin, but she definitely didn't trust her around Lauren in this state. No, this was like Lauren on steroids. Her IQ seemed to drop a gazillion points, and all she cared about was sex and working out. She kind of reminded Bo of some of the jocks at her high school.

It was hard to say no to Lauren last night, too. Seeing her so free and not overly thinking things? Bo was glad her control was back because she would not have been able to resist her wife like she did last night. With all of the craziness, they had even forgotten to complete the ritual for Briann. Luckily, they managed to get Lauren to stand still long enough to finish it, so at least that was one less thing they had to worry about.

The bodies in the entrance were another story. They couldn't move them outside because they were stuck inside. There was also the possibility of another attack, so she, Vex, and Tamsin took turns on watch duty. One person took Kenzi and Briann/sleeping duty, one person took Lauren/sleeping duty, and the other took night watch of the castle. During her night watch, Bo managed to walk around and explore her grandfather's old, crumbling castle. She could imagine this place was once a grand palace and couldn't help but wonder if this decayed state was the result of the Great Fae War. She really did need to sit down with him and hear more tales of what life was like before the clans existed.

It was the afternoon now, and Lauren had petered out on energy again, just like Briann. It was harder to tell who the actual kid in that scenario was right now. Bo decided to turn on her phone to call Trick. Being in this place, being stuck, she didn't know what to do. When she noticed she surprisingly had four bars on her phone, she decided to actually Google some stuff on infections instead of calling. It would have been easy to call; this test was to prove that she could do this on her own, so she used the tools she had, even if she had only half power on her phone. She would have to work fast. Luckily, the searches didn't take long to come up; she discovered the most likely cause of Kenzi's symptoms was tetanus because of the rusty sword.

Bo had to giggle a bit at the simplicity of finding an answer just by typing in "rusty sword wound" in her phone. After about an hour of searching, Bo went back to Kenzi's room to find her sitting up and reading. Bo just nodded in greeting, since it was obvious she had just finished having a spasm. It was written all over Vex's face, since he seemed extra concerned and alert. It was strange to see him so sensitive, but he had actually transitioned quite a bit since coming on this trip. Maybe it was residual guilt for flashing his junk at everyone.

"Hey, you okay?" Bo came into the room, grabbing Lauren's doctor bag. She needed to find something called post-exposure prophylaxis. No, that wasn't right. The treatment was called that. She needed to find the tetanus stuff. Her wife, smartypants that she was, would no doubt have something in here to treat tetanus, since it was a big possibility one or all of them would be stabbed with a rusty weapon at some point in their journey. Sure enough, Bo recognized some of the names on the vials, all neatly placed in alphabetical order within the carrying case. She pulled out what she remembered and looked at her phone again.

It didn't occur to her that she forgot to look up how much to give Kenzi, where, or even how. She pulled out a needle and alcohol swab, something she had seen her wife do many times. Maybe Kenzi would know what came next; she had helped Lauren as an assistant many times. Kenzi had administered no telling how many of those treatments to fae patients who had that blood STD epidemic Bo passed on to countless fae.

Sure enough, Kenzi grabbed the needle and asked how much needed to be in there. Bo kept looking, but it took her a while to find how much to administer. She told Kenzi, who prepared the needle. It was a good thing her friend did it, too. Kenzi flicked the needle and pushed out the air. Bo would have forgotten to do that, though she recalled Lauren talking about that one day. Something about a nurse forgetting to do it, and that's how Kenzi got the job as Lauren's assistant.

Bo held her breath, not sure this was even right, but what else could she do? This was Lauren's field, and Bo definitely had a better appreciation for how tough being a doctor really was.

Kenzi injected the stuff, and Bo bit her lip, not sure what to expect.

She wasn't expecting Tamsin to be escorting Lauren into the bedroom and rolling her eyes in amusement.

"Your wife has grabby paws." Tamsin's aura said she didn't really mind that, but Bo took the woman at her word that nothing would happen. The moment it did, though, she was ready to take her out. For some reason, their short little heart to heart earlier made Bo feel better about the detective being on the team. While she didn't trust her, especially since she still didn't fully trust Vex and he was like her go to man anymore, Bo could learn to accept her place in their circle.

"I said I was sorry." Lauren rolled her eyes. "Bo, I'm sorry. I seemed to have lost my mind lately. No human being should do 900 pushups a day. My entire body is screaming at me. My serotonin levels must have been on overdrive from…the other night." Lauren moved into the room and saw her doctor bag open, immediately moving to take the vial from Kenzi, who was still gripping it. "Tetanus immunoglobulin?"

"You do, you pick it up." Kenzi was the first one to truly smile. "Welcome back, doc."

"How long was I out of it?" Lauren must not have been smart enough to figure out they were under a test. She did seem extra one-track minded and simple. Bo dropped the remaining vials she pulled onto the bed beside her friend before moving to pull Lauren into a hug. "How long was I out?"

"Just a day, but it was the longest day of my life." Bo leaned back and placed a quick warm kiss on her wife's lips. "Remind me to never take your work for granted again. I'm going to get frustrated as hell that you pick it over us sometimes, but I understand how hard it is what you do, and you're the best at it."

"Thanks, I think." Lauren kept her arms around Bo for a second more before releasing the embrace and going to sit next to Kenzi.

"So, that creepy old lady? What happened to her?" Tamsin was the first to break the trance of watching Lauren dote over Kenzi, assessing her as order was restored once again.

"She was the first one I killed last night. She was the one that brought those buggers in." Vex looked over at Bo after sending a quick glance to Tamsin. "I'd say she was sent by the resistance. They all were."

"We can't move her, Bo. She needs proper medical help. We can't take her with us." Lauren stood to put stuff back in her bag. "I have to stay with her."

"What? No." Bo felt panic all of a sudden. There was no way she was leaving her wife and best friend behind in this dilapidated castle; not when there was too much risk of an attack. "No. I'm not leaving you."

"I'll be alright. It's just long enough for Peggy and Gram to transport her back to the farm. I'll call Janelle, and she can fix her there." Lauren pulled out the phone from her medical bag. Bo had to smile that it was the instant information age that had saved their butt this time. "You did good, Bo. Now, let's get her back so we can get her treated fully."

"Don't I get a say in this?" Kenzi still looked weak, and there was no way Bo was going to let her argue, so she didn't say anything in reply. She just sent her a look that Kenzi clearly read. "Okay, okay, chill. I'll do what the doctor ordered."

"That's two tests down; what comes next?" Since they were all here already, Bo decided to pull together an impromptu meeting. "With the resistance, should we send for more backup?"

"No, I think we'll be fine. We just have to be careful. They're going to hit us when we're the most vulnerable." Lauren finished packing her medical bag before laying it on the floor. She looked up, body still glistening slightly from sweat. She must have really pulled out those 900 pushups hard. Bo was very appreciative of seeing her wife's muscular arms on display, though. "They must have found out about the trials somehow; they must be following our moves."

"So, more backup is bad…how?" Tamsin took the words right out of Bo's mouth. It only fortified that the woman really was a strong warrior; she was an asset to the team. Lauren was right to have her join them on this trip. If she hadn't, then the little blindside they experienced last night might not have gone so well with just Bo and Vex.

"It's a tactical move. The three of you are strong enough to handle, what, 23 attackers? There very well could have been more but they retreated. It's because they knew they couldn't best you in this situation." Lauren plopped down into one of the chairs in the room, relaxing and rubbing at her muscles. "If we show confidence and can be smart about putting up barriers and watches, then we'll be more prepared. They will no longer have the advantage of surprise."

"Makes sense, but I still say we call for more backup just in case." Tamsin wasn't used to seeing Lauren's resolve and super intelligence at work like this. Bo was, though, and she trusted her wife knew what she was doing.

"Okay, we do it your way, but if we get attacked again, we call for more backup. Deal?" Bo came to stand behind her wife so that she could rub her neck and shoulders. The initial wince went into relaxation and appreciation, so she continued her ministrations. Lauren had done this very thing for her several times after a grueling fight or workout. Bo was more than happy for an excuse to pay her back in kind.

"We need to prepare for that possibility." Lauren leaned back to look up into Bo's eyes. "We need to move as fast as possible. The sooner we finish these rituals and tests, the sooner we can get back to home base and make our next offensive move. I hope you're ready, Bo, because it looks like we're taking the throne a lot sooner than we thought."

Lauren was right. Bo looked around the room, noticing Briann asleep in her makeshift bed, Kenzi smiling warmly at her, and Tamsin and Vex looking at her with respect. Bo felt loved in this moment. She had actually, on accident, assembled a good war team. With Hale on their side and when Dyson fully came back to himself, they would be a formidable team of Light, Dark, and Unaligned. They were going to be the future of fae. They were going to make a better world.


	29. Anything You Want From Me

It was a hell of a way to spend an anniversary. Lauren wasn't sure about leaving Briann with Vex or Tamsin, since both lacked the nurturing instincts to really take care of a child. That was what Kenzi was going to do today, but medical reasons and making sure Kenzi was cared for took precedence. Lauren felt bad that she had apparently acted like a buffoon staring at the wound and being no help when Kenzi stabbed herself. If she had, this whole thing wouldn't have been a problem and Kenzi would have been cleaned and stitched with a tetanus boost to prevent the bacteria from latching onto her nerves so she could have continued on with them no problem. The one who was most feeling the effects of Kenzi's absences was Bo; she had looked forward to sharing this with her best friend, since they didn't get to hang out much anymore. Of course, Kenzi would get into some dangerous situation, reminding them why she quit going on many missions with Bo anymore.

Bo figured it out the problem, though. Lauren was actually proud of her wife, and even though Bo hated when Kenzi was folded back in space and time to the farm, via the request sent to Peggy, she was okay with Kenzi being removed from the possible battles ahead, especially if she was sick. The younger woman confirmed she had been snuggling extra hard with Alexie and making extra demands on Gram just to see if the older woman would do them. Lauren laughed when she found out Gram shut that behavior off quickly. Still, Kenzi was back and safe. They could both breathe easier about that, even if they lost their babysitter.

So, their anniversary plans were changed. Lauren was okay with that, too. Gram's castle wasn't far from Dublin, so they actually rented a car to drive through instead of being transported like Vex and Tamsin, who were going to do some surveillance around Gram's castle before they arrived. After the craziness of the past few days, Lauren could admit it felt good just being with her wife and child.

They would backtrack to Palmerstown tomorrow, but Lauren had always wanted to see Dublin. It was one of the places on her bucket list. When she was younger, she imagined some grand adventure to where her family was from, but she had no idea how close to reality she was with the "grand adventure" part of that dream. Every day with Bo seemed like a grand adventure. How could Kenzi ever think they would bore each other?

Okay, so she had been referring to their sex life, and Lauren could admit there was some sound logic there, even for Kenzi in her hyper-hormonal state. She was extremely vanilla and didn't experiment too much when it came to how Bo pleasured her, which was why she changed their plans to include staying the night in the heart of Dublin, making sure that they got a room separated into two sections so they could put Briann's rented crib in that area while they went to town devouring each other in the other section. It was probably not the most motherly thing to do, but Lauren found she wanted to do something special for Bo on their anniversary. She just had to decide how best to approach the topic.

After they enjoyed a late dinner at a local pub, another one Trick had suggested that was crawling with fae, Lauren made sure to send Bo back to the room with Briann and instructions to put their daughter to bed while she ran some errands. Bo seemed concerned, especially considering Lauren hardly ever missed tucking Briann in for bed. She was on a mission, though, and she didn't think she could keep a straight face when trying to decide what to do later if Bo was standing right there next to her.

Honestly, Lauren just needed some time to herself to really reflect on what she was willing to let Bo do to her. She was afraid if she talked it over with Bo that the succubus would suggest things she was in no way ready for; that scared Lauren a little. She didn't want to see Bo's hurt expression when Lauren either said no or when she said yes and was uncomfortable and distant after. So, Lauren needed some time to reflect.

All she really discovered while walking about the shops around their hotel was that she really hated taking this stroll alone. So, she picked up a pair of earrings adorning celtic knots, a pair of sterling silver Claddagh rings, and a small wool sweater for Briann before heading back to the hotel.

Today was their anniversary, and she had needed some time alone. That made no sense, so she went back much sooner than anticipated to find Bo covered in baby vomit.

"So, apparently, boxty does not sit well on Briann's stomach." Bo was in process of putting their little girl in the bathtub to clean the vomit from her. So much for sexy times, then.

Lauren came to grab the naked baby from her wife, putting her in the tub while Bo went to remove her own vomit-filled clothes. Lauren felt Briann's forehead and noticed she was warmer than usual; that and the sad eyes and random cry coupled with the vomiting caused her to wrap their daughter into footed pajamas after her soothing bath, letting the little girl grip her tight around the neck after she administered some infant's fever and pain reducer and rubbing some lavender oil on her chest.

Briann gripped her tighter than usual, fighting the sleep, head resting along the crux of her neck and shoulder. Lauren missed this extra loveableness; she felt like they hadn't had enough of it lately with all of the events and constant moving around. It had been awhile since she could just enjoy holding their daughter and rocking her to sleep in her arms. To be honest, the simple act caused Lauren to relax quite a bit and close her eyes in contentment.

Bo came out of the shower, clean and looking much happier for it. Lauren nodded that it was okay when Bo gathered the vomit filled clothes in the room and tossed them in a garbage bag. She combed her hair, eyes watching Lauren and Briann as she got out the tangles, and dressed before taking off to get rid of the bag.

They had no way of knowing how long they would be gone for now; they still had two tests and rituals to finish, and all sense of planning had long gone out the window. Lauren knew better than to expect anything less than crazy on this trip. The fact that they could possibly be returning to claim the throne was not lost on either of them, though they refused to talk about it just yet.

That's why this evening was even more important.

They needed to stop and take time to remember they were happy and in love and they had this beautiful daughter together. They could worry about the resistance and the trials tomorrow. Lauren didn't even think the resistance would attack them today, and she was positive they hadn't been followed, so she actually felt somewhat safe.

Bo came back into the room, smiling and bouncing, and Lauren felt instantly safer.

Since Briann had drifted off some time ago, Lauren finally relented and laid their daughter into the crib. Bo had propped herself up against the head of the bed, texting with Kenzi probably. She giggled and looked up when Lauren came to sit next to her.

"Kenzi says hi." Bo accepted the quick kiss Lauren offered her.

"From your giggles, I'm sure that's not the only thing she said." Lauren could tell by Bo's slight blush that whatever the young woman said had been naughty. "I'm assuming something about anniversary sex?"

"She told me about some big conversation she had with you about the _Kama Sutra_. She wished me luck." Bo giggled again before putting her phone on silent and turning back to Lauren. "Bri out cold?"

"Yeah, she may have a stomach virus. I'll have to watch her pretty closely, especially if we're around places without electricity." Lauren moved to sit on her side, propping her head up on the pillow so she could properly appraise her wife. She was so damned beautiful. How could she not want to do things with her? After all, she had managed to come out of her shell enough to do things to Bo when asked. Even that was a big deal for Lauren; none of her lovers, despite their requests, could ever get her to stray from what she knew worked.

"Yeah, about that, Vex called all kinds of excited because apparently your grandmother was a godsend and updated the castle to the 21st century." Bo chuckled as she moved to mirror Lauren's positioning. "Gotta love Dark Fae and their get what they want walk of life. Electricity? Running water? Plumbing? I am a fan, even if I'm spoiled because of it."

"Actually, can we talk about that?" Lauren bit her lip, still not convinced she could talk about this but knowing if she didn't, she may let it slide yet again.

"Dark Fae?" Bo seemed confused, probably because Lauren was sending all sorts of mixed anxiety and desire signals. "The castle? Gram? Electricity?"

"Sex." Lauren cleared her throat. She was a grown ass woman who was repeatedly having ridiculously amazing sex, but she still couldn't talk about it? Even to her own wife? Lauren felt herself flush more from embarassment at her own actions than at what she wanted to say. "More specifically us and sex."

"Well, you know that's a favorite topic of mine." Bo seemed to be focusing on the sexual vibes Lauren was probably sending now, though she did still keep control.

"You hold back with me." Lauren smiled when Bo went to start twirling and playing with her hair. It was one of Bo's super flirty moves, and Lauren loved the attention. She wasn't ashamed to admit she loved when Bo played with her hair and vice versa. She moved her hand up to pull Bo's away, loving the sensations that Bo was sending through a simple flirty touch, but wanting to keep her composure. It would be harder to have this conversation if she couldn't keep her cool and say no if she needed.

"I don't want to hurt you or make you uncomfortable." Bo went into worry mode, brow scrunched and eyes dark and soulful.

"I know what I like, but I worry that's not enough for you sometimes." Lauren cleared her throat and sat up, deciding that it was harder to say this when Bo was looking at her like that. "I don't want to bore you. No, that's not it." Lauren started to play with the small thread that was pulling from the comforter. "I don't want to hold you back from your needs. I do my best to give you what you want, but I don't really ever consider that you want to do those things to me, too. I stick with what I know because it works for me. I may be a little afraid to try things more because I'm afraid they won't work, even if my curiosity does wonder what it would be like."

"Lauren, I want to do everything and _beyond_ everything to you. Just because you don't want me to fuck you with a strap on or don't want to try seemingly impossible positions or strange toys does not mean you're not giving me what I want. If I don't please you, then you tell me, and we go back to what we do know works. Part of the fun of experimentation is going on a journey of discovery together. I can't think of anyone I'd rather take that journey with than you." Bo scooted up on the bed so that she forced Lauren to look at her. "Hey, I love what we do. If I didn't, do you really think I wouldn't say something?"

"Yes, actually. For the same reason I've been afraid to say anything until now." Lauren took a deep breath and chuckled at her insanity. "I love you, Bo. I just want to make you happy; any way that I can."

"I love you, too, and you do make me happy." Bo wiggled her head around a bit for emphasis. "Ridiculously happy."

"You can't deny you want more, though."

"I want you."

"I never really questioned that." Lauren sent her a flirty smile, knowing quite well how much her wife still lusted after her. It was hard to ignore in their bond. It was one of Lauren's favorite parts of the bond, actually. "I can't guarantee that I'll get there on my own, so I may need some nudging. If you want something, ask me. We can talk about it, but I can't make any promises."

"That sounds fair." Bo bit her lip as she moved to straddle Lauren's legs, pushing her back on the bed. "How about this? I tell you some of the things I want to do with you, and you tell me some of the things you want to do. We can make lists, since I know you're so fond of organizing things. That way, we know what the other is thinking, and we can add and subtract as things come to us or as we do them. Think of it like a sexy bucket list. That doesn't mean we have to do everything on them, but it does mean you'll stop worrying about me telling you what I want. I'm not kidding about wanting everything. I'm greedy like that."

"I want to give you everything but don't know how or if I can. That's my problem." Lauren gasped when Bo moved to place a few slow, wet kisses down her neck, wet locks tickling her face in the process.

"We have time, Lauren. We don't have to rush things." Bo sat up and Lauren followed, both of them wrapping arms around the other. "If it's a matter of whether you please me or not, hon, you've never _not_ pleased me in that department. When we first started dating, I was kind of surprised that you weren't part succubus already."

"Okay, I can tell you're dying to let it out. You've earned _one_ cheesy line today." Lauren smirked as she rubbed Bo's back. "Make it count because you only get one free pass."

"Oh, thank goodness. It was so hard holding it in." Bo moved her hands to pull Lauren's shirt over her head, tossing it across the room. She kissed her fully, holding her head in place as though she would move it and not allow the connection. Lauren could never deny her wife something she herself craved. Bo moved until she was looking straight at Lauren, not blinking. "You, Lauren Lewis, are everything I've ever wanted and then some. How could you ever think you're not giving me everything? You make me everything I want to be myself."

"You're such a sap." Lauren couldn't hide her smile. Her wife had always been the more romantic and cliché love story one in the relationship. Lauren had always been way too logical to think of love at first sight or everlasting, happily ever love as being possible. In fact, before Nadia, Lauren had convinced herself that what people thought was love actually had a scientific reason. When she met Bo and fell in love with her, Lauren understood the appeal of the sappy romantic stuff. "Tell me something you really want to do to me."

"Everything." Bo pulled her own shirt off and tossed it to join Lauren's before bringing her lips back to Lauren's neck. "Absolutely everything."

"Could you be a little more specific?" Lauren moaned and gripped Bo tighter when she hit that sensitive spot behind her ear.

"Okay. More dirty talk Lauren. That is definitely on my sexy bucket list." Bo used her fingers to add emphasis as she whispered her description about a particularly intimate position they had never tried. It was one Lauren wasn't sure was possible, but at the moment, the way Bo was touching her and whispering hotly between kisses, Lauren could picture that list being finished before the next anniversary. "I would like dirty talk Lauren as my anniversary gift."

"And here I got you a pair of earrings." Lauren wrapped her hands in Bo's hair, urging her further.

"That was a poor attempt at sexy talk, Doctor." Bo leaned back to make eye contact. She was fighting her blue eyed response, Lauren could tell. "Try again, and I may reward you."

"Seriously?" Lauren felt herself squeak a little, highly aroused already just by a few well placed kisses. This woman knew how to play her body to her own succubus-desired advantage.

"This is half the fun for me: getting you to give in. Makes the conquering that much better." Bo flicked her eyebrow to emphasize her needy smirk.

"Conquering, Bo? Really?" Lauren chuckled as she tried to pull Bo back to her. The woman was being serious, though.

"I don't remember you being this bad at sexy talk." Bo was extremely amused at the situation, as she extricated herself from Lauren, only to stand and shimmy out of her pants, leaving her in only her underwear and bra.

"Um…your body next to mine would be much appreciated?" Lauren sent a hopeful glance, knowing how lame that sounded. As a last ditch effort, she upped the ante by kicking off her own pants and socks. "Even playing ground?"

"You're not even trying, Lauren." Bo sighed before sitting down on the bed next to her.

"Okay, no, I can…I can do this. I'm just rusty. I've not practiced in a while." Lauren licked her lips and recalled some of the most pleasurable memories she could remember. She closed her eyes and opened them with a renewed ambition, knowing her voice would be deep and husky. "Come here."

"Absolutely." Bo moved to straddle her again, and Lauren lowered her voice, deciding it was her turn to place kisses along her wife's exposed neck in between locking their lips. No wonder they spent so much of their yearly budget on chapstick; it was all in the way they kissed, and they kissed a lot.

"I can't wait to get my hands on you." Lauren moved her hand to wrap in Bo's hair again, pulling her close and not letting her lips stray too far. "And, as a doctor, I have highly skilled hands."

"Much improved." Bo's eyes flashed again, and Lauren didn't miss the opportunity to pull their bodies tighter in the embrace. She pushed Bo back, placing her directly on top but never breaking contact.

"I should be sure to give you a thorough examination; to make sure all parts are working properly." Lauren moved her hand lower and lower on Bo's abdomen, knowing her wife was already on edge without the extra teasing, regardless if her previous dirty talk had been horrible.

"Very much improved." Bo didn't allow her to say anything else, as she pulled her hand where she wanted it, taking more control where she could and moving their bodies together.

Later, when they were snuggled in the bed, Bo fast asleep and exhausted, Lauren heard her phone ding. She reached over to pick it up, not letting Bo fall out of her arms. She looked to see a text from Kenzi. All Lauren could do was chuckle lightly at the picture she was sent that was attached to the "try this one" message. Lauren realized that it wasn't in how they did this; just that it was done together and they were willing to at least talk about new things if they ever wanted to try them.

* * *

When they arrived at the castle, which was laid out a lot like the farmhouse except bigger and more ornate, Bo made sure all of their bags were carried inside this time. She knew Lauren wasn't quite all there at Trick's castle, but she was still missing her own bag of clothes. When they walked in, they found Tamsin and Vex standing there and waiting on them, since they probably heard them pull up.

There were servants here, too. Not as many as Lauren's grandfather's house, but it seemed odd that both of her grandparents' old castles, which were supposed to be abandoned, were quite lively and full of light. What did that say about her family that Trick's castle was falling apart? It only made her even more curious about what her father's castle would look like.

"Ready for this?" Bo handed Briann to Lauren, as she went to pick up all of their bags. She didn't remember them being this heavy, but she managed to carry them upstairs to where Tamsin lead them to a bedroom. She had never been happier to drop a bunch of bags in her life.

They went about completing the ritual and tried to watch for signs for the test, all of them seeming to pay close attention to Bo, who really had to admit she felt no different. Vex and Tamsin also mentioned some barrier they managed to invoke around the castle so they would have more warning when the resistance attacked.

There was no real "if" anymore. Bo was prepared to fight them at a moment's notice. She laid out her crossbow, swords, knives, and other weapons. Normally, she would keep these out of reach of Briann, but they could keep a closer eye on her. They needed to keep a closer eye on her anyways, for when they were attacked. One thing Bo and Lauren both had been amazed at was how deeply their daughter slept; she could sleep through an entire war, Rip Van Winkle style, if given the chance.

Bo thought that maybe they had failed the last test, which was why she didn't feel any different here. She had expected to know what the problem was as soon as they walked in the door, since they were prepared now. For some reason, the thought of failing didn't bother her. She didn't really feel ready for any of this, and Kenzi was still safe. She gave it her all. That didn't mean she was ready for the throne. Even if they passed all four tests, Bo wasn't sure she would be convinced that she was ready. A little part of her did hope she had failed, and she knew Lauren would probably scold her for being so ridiculous. Of course they were ready; everybody had been telling her that for a while now. Bo was the only one holding back.

Her failure at the last castle wasn't true, though, since the door barrier went up after they walked in, triggering the test. Maybe that _was_ the test: not being able to figure it out. It was subtle, like a needle in a haystack. Other than more tired than usual, Bo didn't feel the change.

What did not knowing have to do with her, though? Didn't she just prove in the last test that she could be smart and resourceful like her wife? Why would they repeat that?

Nope, this was a real puzzle, and the way Lauren kept studying her made Bo try to distract her when they were getting ready for bed. Lauren had seemed so insecure about their sex life last night; it seemed so odd. She was always so confident in bed. Still, the thought that Lauren even wanted to consider giving her more made Bo's heart swell in adoration. Sure, she had some particular fantasies and positions she wanted to try with her wife, but really, Bo was still quite fond and pleased with what they already did. Maybe that would change; maybe Lauren was right, but Bo intended on not pushing the topic. There was no need.

That's why it surprised the hell out of her when Lauren could roll her over easier than usual after a particularly focused makeout session. Lauren seemed equally as surprised, since she obviously hadn't put much effort into it, but Bo had been playing for dominance. She had been trying to prove her control. Lauren stopped what she was doing, much to Bo's chagrin, and pulled herself from the bed, dragging Bo with her.

She pushed Bo back on the bed, and at first, Bo thought it was some sort of kinky foreplay Lauren was trying. It wasn't unreasonable to think that considering their conversation last night, but she did it again, and this time, Bo had stood her ground. There was no way Lauren should have been able to push her over that easily; not when Bo was putting her muscles to work to prevent it from happening.

"Wait, do I have more strength, or did you lose yours?" Lauren felt around Bo's arms, examining her naked body in an actual doctorly manner. Bo pouted at this, but she allowed it. Seemed like it was a subtle change. "Let me go get Vex."

"Wait, Lauren, no. Just…come back to bed." Bo had been close to orgasm earlier, but she didn't want to say anything. It now seemed like a good excuse to ignore the problem, though. Lauren would never let her go without. "I…just come back to bed. Please."

"If the resistance attacks tonight, we need to know if I have extra strength or you have lost yours. That'll make a difference in how we deal with things, Bo. This is serious." Lauren was gripping Bo's arms where her hands had stopped their examination. Bo felt the grip and was surprised that she flinched from the pain. "I can't tell which one it is. Both would make sense as a test."

"It's geared toward me, right?" Bo recalled back to earlier when it was actually difficult to carry bags she had been carrying with ease this entire trip. "I think it's safe to say I've lost mine."

"Are you okay?" Lauren leaned back to assess Bo's expression, and she knew she was giving away her fear and frustration right now. If she lost her strength, if the resistance was coming to attack, how was she going to protect her family? Lauren seemed to understand as she pulled Bo closer to her.

"This is worse than losing my control." Bo gripped her wife tighter, holding her but knowing it must feel different to Lauren. "How will we pass this one? If I can't fight, then…"

"Hey, we still have Vex and Tamsin. They have proven themselves to be good in a fight, and it's not like you're not still useful in a fight just because you lost your strength. Maybe that's what the test is trying to show?" Lauren leaned back to hold Bo's head in place so she would ignore her instincts and not look down.

"Maybe." Bo just looked at Lauren, knowing she was conveying a lot through her eyes right now. She was surprised to find that with her strength went her confidence.


	30. The Stronger Woman in Me

Lauren had been keeping a careful eye on Bo since they woke up this morning. She had been quiet at breakfast and through most of the morning. She just kept playing with Briann, like it was the only thing she could do, almost like she had already convinced herself that they were going to fail this trial and that she would never see their daughter again.

This wasn't a test they could pass with books, so Lauren was at a loss of what to do, too. Since Bo was apparently lost to them right now, Lauren had to convince her wife that she was plenty strong without needing to physically fight. Bo still had her succubus powers, so she could weaken enemies or thrall them into attacking others. She was smart; the last trial should have proved that to her. She was also still clever and could improvise and think on her feet, especially in times of crisis. Did she really think the only way she could fight was because of her extra fae boost of strength?

She wasn't useless like she kept saying she was last night after discovering her lack of added agility and muscle power. Still, Lauren had a hard time convincing her that strength was more than just brawn. Winning was more than just brawn; it was intelligence and how to use that strength properly. Lauren kept recalling some of the woman's fights over the years and how Bo hadn't always used physical fighting as a means to defeat the enemy. Lilith. The old Ash. Sure, she had used physical strength to start the fight, but it wasn't what had caused her to win those battles. Still, Bo wouldn't listen to her; instead, she stayed in bed, curled into a ball and trying to hide her tears. It left them extremely vulnerable.

The first attack from the resistance had come with a siren warning from the barrier outside. Tamsin and Vex had easily disposed of them on their own, since there weren't that many. They did manage to discover that more were coming for them, and they wouldn't stop. Somehow, they knew their army had weakened, though Lauren couldn't tell if it was because they saw Kenzi had gone home or if they knew Bo had lost her confidence and power for the fight.

A few hours passed, and Lauren went back to watch over her wife and daughter. All she could do right then was trust that Tamsin and Vex could handle whatever came at them.

It was the second wave from the resistance that really made an impact, though. One of them had managed to escape from Tamsin and Vex's holding pattern. The young fae managed to crash into where Bo and Lauren were staying, holding an axe above his head and ready to attack.

Lauren reacted on instinct, grabbed the shortsword Bo had laid out the night before, and defended her family without thinking.

She hadn't used a sword since fencing club at college, but she was glad to know it was like riding a bicycle. She had parried the attack and sliced through the fae before he could even get close to Bo, who was clutching Briann and shielding her with her body. At least Bo's maternal protective instincts weren't lost to her.

When the thump of the body fell to the ground, Lauren stood over him, staring instead at the sword in her hand, now soaked in blood.

She had never actually killed anyone before; not like this. Sure, people died while in her care all of the time, but that wasn't something she had done _to_ them or on purpose. This was different. Lauren thought she should at least have some remorse, but looking down at the dead fae, axe still clutched loosely in his hand, Lauren was surprised instead to find she felt justified for the killing. If she hadn't, then this man would have murdered her family. There was no way Lauren would ever let that happen. Sure, her guilt was still there; this man probably had family who would miss him, but the fact that he was trying to take away hers outweighed any numbing remorse she thought she should have felt.

That's what made her decide to help Tamsin and Vex form a plan for the next attack. The second wave had been larger and much tougher, and Vex looked a bit tired. Lauren sent him to freshen up and recharge. When she suggested the same to Tamsin, Lauren had to smile at how stubborn the Valkyrie was. Instead, they went about piling the myriad of dead bodies at the front entrance to form a wall. It would slow down their enemies, since it seemed this was the only way in. Lauren wondered if that had to do with the same barrier holding them in, as a sort of protection during the trials: no way out but only one way in.

When they went to grab the body from the bedroom, Tamsin kept smirking at her in something Lauren could only describe as a mixture of aroused and impressed.

"So, who would have thought the quiet Dr. Lauren Lewis would be a badass warrior woman?" Tamsin huffed a bit as they tossed the final fae onto the wall. It was one of the most disgusting things Lauren had ever done, but she felt it was a smart tactical move. Looking at the blood covering Tamsin's clothes, she knew the Dark Fae detective was definitely the right choice to come along, too. Lauren looked further to notice that Tamsin had a violent cut across her right side. "I have to say: if you were trying to turn me off, you're going the opposite direction."

"Oh, let me look at that." Lauren came over and lifted the woman's tight tee shirt to get a better assessment of the wound. She sighed in relief. "It's not too deep, but we still need to clean and stitch it. We do not want to have to send another person home."

"You should rest, too, while we wait on the next attack. They'll need time to regroup; they probably weren't expecting us to dispatch two troops that easily. They'll be trying to figure something else out." Tamsin surprised Lauren by cupping her cheek, bringing their eyes together. "Did you sleep at all last night?"

"I'm fine." Lauren released the shirt, feeling the warmth between them again. Without much thought, she pulled Tamsin's hand in hers and squeezed. "Now, let's go fix you, okay?"

"Sure thing, doc." Tamsin smirked as she followed right along without protesting as Lauren guided them, hands still clasped together. When they got to the top of the stairs, they noticed Bo standing there, looking at them with tears welling in her eyes.

"Bo, everything okay?" Lauren was extra worried now. Bo never let anybody see her cry like this without good reason. It was different when they were alone together, but Bo was too tough and proud to let anyone see her cry, especially Tamsin. Lauren immediately panicked and thought the worst, letting go of Tamsin's hand and rushing up the stairs after Bo, who stopped when they go to the bedroom door. "Briann?"

"She's fine." Bo sounded so heartbroken. Was losing her strength really that bad? It probably wasn't helping to see the wall of dead bodies. "She's napping."

"Then, what's wrong?" Lauren came down to assess Bo for any wounds. Maybe somebody had infiltrated the castle during the attacks and was hiding in the wings. It wasn't an impossibility. Two people couldn't have seen everybody coming in the doors during a battle.

"Nothing. Everything's fine." She opened the door and walked into the bedroom. Bo was obviously not okay, so Lauren nodded to Tamsin to follow them into the bedroom. When they got there, Bo had immediately crawled under the covers, trying to hide her sobs but not doing a very good job of it. She had also tried to loosen the bond but apparently didn't have the strength to even do that; Lauren felt the wave of despair. Hearing her wife cry so hard made her want to just go over and wrap Bo in her arms to let her cry it out. She had a battle to win, though. That meant stitching up one of their only soldiers.

"Okay, so the sobfest tells me you definitely got no sleep last night. Did she lose her sanity, too?" Tamsin's rolled her eyes when Bo started to cry harder, obviously hearing what she said. "Sorry. I've just never seen a succubus cry before; it's making me a little uneasy."

"Can you try to be a little sympathetic?" Lauren may have put a little more pressure when stitching the wound than was necessary, showing she did not appreciate the running commentary right now. It was bad enough feeling Bo's despair through the bond; it was another to actually hear and witness it.

"Sorry." Tamsin winced when Lauren finished the last swoop in the stitches. She rubbed some ointment on the wound, to help with the pain and discomfort. It was one of the smarter things she had invented because she was tired of seeing Bo struggle with her pain when she wasn't feeding and healing in some crazy attempt at proving her monogamy when they were first together. The woman came home with bruises and cuts galore and was so stubborn that Lauren had spent hours in the lab researching a better pain ointment to at least relieve the pain and speed up the healing a bit. Now, it was a staple in her medical kit. "I'll switch with Vex here in a bit, and he can take watch. You…get some rest."

"I thought I was the doctor." Lauren smirked, but it didn't last long when Bo's sobs were deeper and louder into the pillow. "I'll do my best. Try to take it easy, if you can. You'll be back in perfect fighting health within the next few hours."

"Sure thing." Tamsin stood and took her shirt with her. Lauren hadn't even really registered that the woman was half naked right there, her own hands running across and holding a muscular abdomen and surprisingly soft yet cold skin. She shook her head to clear her sudden thoughts and watched the detective leave the room with a quiet smirk, shutting the door quietly behind her.

Lauren took a minute to breathe before tidying up the mess. Bo's sobbing had subsided a little bit, but sniffles and hiccups were still audible. Lauren went into the bathroom to wash her hands and get rid of the used materials. She came back to find Bo's sobs had just fallen into a quiet cry.

She sighed, not knowing how to even approach this. Lauren did not believe that simply taking away Bo's strength made her turn into a crying mess like this. There was something else going on, so she kicked off her sneakers and crawled under the covers, wrapping her arm around Bo's torso, her other hand moving under the pillow to tuck under Bo's neck. It tore her up a little to physically feel her wife's body shaking.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Lauren coerced Bo to turn around in her embrace, and she did, bringing her hands between them to play with the strings on Lauren's grey sweater, which she now realized was covered in blood from moving all of those bodies. She distracted Bo by running her fingers along her hair, leaning back in their embrace to look into her wife's swollen red eyes. "And I mean, what's really wrong? I know this is more than just about you losing your fighting ability."

"You've always been attracted to strong women." Bo looked like she wanted to cry but was too dehydrated now to produce any more tears. "If I can't pass this test, then what happens when I'm not strong anymore? Where does that leave us?"

"Exactly like this, Bo. Together." Lauren understood now. Bo had seen her with Tamsin downstairs; it was why her sobs were stronger when the other woman was in the room with them and had dissipated as soon as she left. "I'm not leaving you for Tamsin, Bo. Don't be ridiculous."

"But she can protect you and Briann. She can fight."

"You can fight, too, silly. Stop thinking that fighting is just about physical strength." Lauren pushed back stray hairs from Bo's face, holding her hand against her cheek when she was finished. "I didn't fall in love with you because you could punch a fae stupid. I fell for you because of your convictions and loyalty and ability to love with your whole heart. Stop acting like this is the end of world, or we _will_ fail."

"How am I supposed to do that when I feel so weak? I even had trouble twisting the lid off of Briann's Pedialyte earlier." Bo tried to break eye contact, but Lauren wouldn't let her, holding her more firmly.

"Remember what you said to me when we first met?" Lauren released her grip and smiled at her wife, trying to send as much warmth and love as she could.

"That nobody pulled off a pair of tight jeans quite like you?" Bo at least tried to make an effort; that was an improvement.

"That the things worth the most in life were never easy." Lauren moved to push herself up so she was hovering a bit over her wife but still keeping eye contact. "Bo, I've come to always expect to do things the hard way with you. It's because you're so worth it. Briann is worth it. We're worth it. We'll figure this out because that's what we do. It's who we are."

"Okay, this must be serious. You actually went sappy on me. I don't think that's ever happened." Bo genuinely smiled now, bringing her fingers to trace Lauren's lips. She lightly kissed them in response. "So, what do we do now?"

"Right now?" Lauren smirked down at her. It wasn't often that Bo was so open and vulnerable like this. Lauren wanted to give her strength back to her. "Now, we make love, try to get some rest, and forget for a while that we're in the middle of a war."

"The resistance? Won't they attack again soon?" Bo wasn't arguing, though, as Lauren sat up to pull off and toss her bloody sweater, taking the tank top with it. She made quick movements to toss her bra, as well. Bo reacted like a succubus would react to such a display, but she was slow and gentle about it, sitting up to toss her own tshirt and bra aside.

"They'll need to regroup, decide on the best plan of attack. Vex and Tamsin are going to take the first watches. I'm going to take care of you. Of us." Lauren crawled out of bed to kick off her pants, socks, and underwear, loving how eager Bo suddenly was when she kicked off her own sweats and underwear. Lauren pulled the covers around them, the central air in the room tickling their skin after being too long exposed to the natural humidity and heat. She molded her body on top of her wife's and started to run slow kisses down Bo's neck, loving how easily she responded.

* * *

Lauren extracted herself from the bed, actually feeling well rested despite only getting maybe three hours worth of sleep. Bo was glowing and smiling, still asleep and finally content. Lauren could feel her own focus right now, too, as she realized her energy increase.

Make love, not war. That was definitely a motto she could get behind. Especially now because Lauren had a better plan for the upcoming battle in their war with the resistance. She wasn't surprised to find Tamsin on duty and healed enough that Lauren could remove the stitches.

They woke up Vex and Lauren ran down her plan, which included numerous points of attack and booby traps so that nobody could get past their defense. When she mentioned she would be playing a major role with the offense, Vex had looked at her like she lost her intelligence again. Tamsin just smirked and followed along with the plan.

It was a good plan, and it proved as much when the next wave started rolling in. The attackers had to climb the dead body wall, which was already permeating rotting corpse smell throughout the entrance hall. Lauren stood at the top of the open stairwell with a bow and arrow, dispatching several of the fae as they climbed the wall. Vex used his powers to get several fae to attack their own, and Tamsin did what she did best: cutting off heads. If Lauren had more time to watch, she would actually take time to appreciate the aesthetics behind Tamsin's approach. It wasn't violent at all; there was a certain grace to how she dismembered and decapitated.

It was a great plan, and it proved as much when the final fae was dispatched again. Lauren felt confident and energized. She hadn't done this in so long; she had no idea how good it felt to realize she could just as easily defend her family if the time came. Lauren remembered when she was a kid and used to play sword fighting and hunting with Roger. They had seemed so close back then, running around, happy. When they actually started learning those skills was when they became fiercely competitive and lost touch. It was part of the reason why Lauren never joined the fighting before now. She knew it was silly to think she and Bo would lose touch in reaction, but Lauren had always let Bo take point in the fighting. Besides, even with her skills, Lauren knew she was better suited for the science and planning parts of their battles.

Vex and Tamsin had taken to stacking more dead bodies to the point where there were too many to maneuver around the entrance hall anymore. Since Lauren had been the one with the least physical exertion and the most energy, thanks to her previous activities with her wife, she dispatched them to get some rest while she took watch.

As she walked the dark hallways, sword at her hilt and bow and arrow bag across her back, Lauren couldn't help her smile. She was still glowing from the earlier love making, and she was still on fire with ideas on how to protect this castle and her family. The thought that Bo and Briann were still upstairs, tucked in and safe asleep, made her smile even bigger.

She didn't expect someone to attack her from behind. She should have known better.

The knife sticking in her side was embedded deep; she knew better than to remove it, but she couldn't stop her attacker from doing it. She couldn't scream out for help because her assailant had her mouth covered with a well placed hand; she couldn't alert Bo through the bond because she was still asleep. When Lauren felt and saw her blood pooling too fast, she panicked and realized that she would probably die soon. A major organ must have been hit. Remembering what it was like to feel Bo dying, she cut off the bond, not wanting her wife to go through what she did.

Lauren's attacker let her fall to the ground, clutching her side to try and stop the bleeding, though she knew it was practically useless. A mortal wound could kill a hybrid just like any other human. Some fae could heal from this severe a wound; she had witnessed Bo heal from it on several occasions. It was different for her, though, and she was too weak with trying to catch her breath that she couldn't cry out for help beyond quiet whimpers of pain. Lauren had actually found something more painful than when she gave birth to Briann, and she had barely survived that. She would bleed out and probably be dead within the next five minutes. She wouldn't even get to say goodbye to her family.

Footsteps of her attacker echoed in the large hallway as they came into view. Even though they had electricity in this house, they didn't feel the need to turn on many lights, especially when they were trying to get some sleep. The moonlight came in through the window to unveil the shadowed figure. Lauren knew she recognized the smell of vanilla and sandalwood. Smelling good was the only good memory she had of Emily, who stood looming over her now with a wicked smile on her face.

* * *

Bo woke, not sure why she was panicked. The first thing she noticed was that Lauren was missing from the bed. What happened to sleeping and preparing for the battles ahead? She took a second to chuckle at her wife's almost unending need to work.

The next thing she noticed was that she couldn't feel Lauren at all. The bond was missing, and that made Bo really panic. She jumped out of bed, pulling on her sweats and tank top but not bothering with her underwear or bra. She just needed to cover her bits in case she ran into Vex or Tamsin in the hall. She had just gotten on Vex for walking around naked, and she didn't want to give him more ammo for his argument. Out of instinct, Bo picked up a sword, but since it felt so much different in her hand and was much heavier than she remembered, she dropped it and picked up her trusty pen knife. Even that felt different as she slowly crept her way out of their room into the equally as dark hallway.

It was quiet.

Too quiet.

Bo could sense some form of strange arousal within a close proximity. It wasn't one of purely sexual arousal so much as it was one of victorious, evil arousal; much like she remembered sensing with Lilith.

Knowing that her best weapon right now was her stealth, Bo moved carefully and quietly along the hallways toward the energy source. She had to hold in her breath tight when she saw Emily, of all people, standing over a body. Bo didn't even have to look to know it was her wife; it was why the bond was broken.

She moved back around the corner, leaning against the wall, closing her eyes, and taking in deep breaths. Lauren was still alive; she could sense that much. That meant her best chance at beating Emily was using what little she had in her arsenal right now. The nymph and Lauren were quite a bit away down the hall, which meant sneaking up behind her would be next to impossible. Bo took a deep breath, steeled herself, and let the succubus out. Even though her dormant powers were even more dormant right now, she could still call on her fae to help, even if that meant turning into a monster to do it.

Bo knew her eyes were glowing the brightest blue ever because she could see clearly in the dark when she opened them. She gripped the pen knife and stood tall. She had to hope the other woman had no idea what was going on, so she made herself as threatening as possible before appearing at the end of the hallway, taking the stance of a confident warrior but feeling more anxiety than she ever had before.

"Hey, nymphobitch, wanna leave the pretty doctor alone and play in the big leagues?" Bo yelled down the hall at the woman, who immediately turned and growled in response. "Easy enough attacking a human. Taking the coward's way out?"

"My orders were clear. I'm doing what I was told. As a bonus, I will bring your head back to my master on a platter." Emily took the bait, and Bo had to force herself not to look at Lauren struggling to breathe on the ground. Even though it was dark, Bo could tell there was a trail and pool of blood surrounding her wife.

"That was really original." Bo rolled her eyes, having to give herself over more to the darker part of her. Otherwise, she would be a sobbing mess again. She stiffened her jaw and narrowed her eyes. When Emily stepped into her physical proximity, she gripped her pen knife tighter, hoping the woman couldn't sense her hands shaking slightly. "You just attacked my wife. If you did any research on me, you know that's the quickest way to make me go angry, and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry."

"On the contrary. Anger makes people do stupid things." Emily pulled her own knife from wherever she stashed it. Bo could sense her wife's blood on it; she didn't know how she could tell that was what it was, but it was undeniable. "And you're about to do something really stupid."

"Putting you out of your misery will be the smartest thing I have ever done." Bo began to circle around Emily, easing the woman to where she could put herself between the nymph and her wife. Bo heard Lauren coughing down the hall and knew she didn't have much time. "Try me."

"The longer I wait, the less time you have to save her. Like I said, you're about to do something really stupid." Emily inched closer, putting herself within easy reach. It was a power move. "Will you be able to deny your uncontrollable urge to see me put down, or will you rush to save your beloved Lauren?"

"I will save Lauren every time." Bo loosened her stance, knowing this declaration as truth. Emily knew it, too, which is why she relaxed. Bo took the opportunity to do something she had wanted to do since the last time she kicked the woman's ass; only, this time, the succubus took control, skin blazing more and more as she sucked the chi from Emily dry. Bo watched as the other woman slumped to the floor, not wasting a second to check and see if she was still alive because there was somebody else that needed that attention more.

Bo knelt down next to Lauren, placing her hand where she was holding her wound. Bo looked through her enhanced sight to see that it was not good. Lauren was slipping fast. Without anymore hesitation, Bo leaned over to push all the chi she possibly had to offer into her wife's mouth, placing desperate kisses there in between pushes. She could feel her own self weaken, but she still pushed what she had.

Lauren coughed and sputtered, blood mingling between their mouths. Bo felt her wife go limp in her arms, and she fell on top of her unmoving body.

She heard Emily coming to at the end of the hall, and that made something in Bo snap. She may not have her strength right now, but she had something more powerful. She had her father's genetics.

"I told you, you wouldn't like me when I'm angry." Bo let the power consume her as she made quick moves to tackle Emily to the ground since the nymph was already weakened from the previous chi suck. Bo took more and more chi until she felt the woman's dying breath. It was the most exotic and exhilarating thing she had ever tasted, but it was also the most disgusting.

When she looked up, Vex and Tamsin were standing there, disheveled and obviously alarmed at what they had just witnessed. Bo didn't mean to look at them through what she was now calling her Samael lens, but they were there, and Lauren was down the hall, almost lifeless. Vex tried to move to help, but Tamsin held him back.

Smart move.

She went to move and attack them but a sensation hit her and caused her to fall to the ground without warning. Bo felt the breath go out of her and sighed in relief when she recognized Lauren's life essence bonded with hers. Her wife was alive.

Bo barely registered what Lauren was saying; something about calling reinforcements to meet at Samael's castle in England. Something about preparing for them to move on before the night was up and calling Peggy to make it happen within the hour. Something about checking the door to confirm the barrier was lifted. Bo already felt it lift as soon as she fell to the ground, knowing that she had passed the test. It was more than just losing her strength; she had to lose her mind with it so that she only had one option to save her family. She had to become the monster she always knew she was, but she also had to know that she could control that monster. That, and Lauren had to learn that she could protect the family, too. This test was for both of them. In fact, they all had been about both of them so far.

That meant they only had one more trial left. Bo was even more worried than she was when she found out she would be travelling to her father's castle. Now, they had the resistance after them, and they had no idea what to expect with the final trial. All they knew was that it would have something to do with Lauren, and even though Bo knew her wife better than she even knew herself sometimes, she had no clue what the final test would be.

Lauren was right; the things worth most in life were never easy. When Bo came to, she rushed over to pull her wife into a tight embrace, only being mindful of the wound until Lauren pulled her in with just as much strength.


	31. Highway to Hell

Lauren had been near death. Realizing how with just a few more seconds, that she probably would have been dead if Bo hadn't power chi-ed her back to a healed state, Lauren couldn't stop thinking about how realistic her own death really was. She didn't have a father who could niftily suck her back to life with fae magic. No, William Lewis, Prime Minister of Canada and Lauren's father, was a grade A+ asshole. One of the Lewis family mottos was "Go big or go home." It was right there with "Only Ever Strive for the Best." So it was only logical that he would be the ultimate betrayer to humankind.

The one thing Lauren never even thought to ask was if her mother knew her husband, her human pet, was a traitor. Looking back, it was like she had no idea. Gram had no clue, either. Did she tell her daughter? Was she waiting for Lauren to tell? Could Lauren be the one to tell her mother that? Even if she didn't love the man, he was still hers, and he still held a lot of power and media attention. The fae couldn't just make him go away. The resistance was smart to give him power.

Still, could Lauren tell her mother, knowing that she would be sealing her father's fate somehow? If the family couldn't do anything about it, then the resistance may kill him just for being discovered. The part of Lauren that loved her father, who only ever wanted him to love her in return, didn't think she could do it. Then, she would look into Briann's wide brown eyes or Bo's loving, concerned ones and realize what he was trying to take away from her, and Lauren would get pissed and want to off him herself.

Lauren had been extra quiet as they walked around Oxford's campus, clutching Briann in one arm tighter than was necessary despite her pushing around the umbrella stroller with her other. Visiting this campus was also on her bucket list, but she found she couldn't even enjoy it. She should have been feeling the awe and inspiration just of walking where so many notable alum had before, but there were too many things spinning around in her brain at the moment. She completely knew why her wife had gone batshit crazy for a month after she had actually died. Lauren had only been moments from death, but it was realistic enough to make her understand just how human her body was. A fae would have survived that wound without problem.

Familiar insecurities that she wasn't good enough for Bo surfaced, but they spent the last week proving that wasn't the case. She couldn't hide behind those familiar excuses anymore and had to face what was really bothering her.

Lauren had almost left Bo and Briann alone. All because she had a brief moment of pride at how well they had done at defeating the resistance attacks. Lauren had let her guard down. She would never do it again.

Bo had acted extra accommodating, too. She may have healed Lauren's wound, but the residual soreness and psychological effects were still taking its toll on her body. She had lost a lot of blood, so she had coerced Bo into letting them stay in Dublin until she regained her strength. Bo hadn't wanted to move her at all, but Lauren knew none of them wanted to stay in Gram's castle longer than necessary, surrounded by the decaying bodies piled in the front entrance. Plus, they had to send Vex or Tamsin out for food the two days they did stay at the hotel.

That a former lover's body was on that pile made Lauren a little sick to her stomach. Sure, the woman had almost killed her, but Lauren couldn't help but remember the good things about Emily: the way she smelled; how her hair would seem to shine whenever light reflected from it; the way her nose crinkled when she thought something was funny but tried to hide her amusement. In reflection, there really wasn't that much good she could remember about the woman; she had been in a dark place and was self-loathing when they were together. Lauren wanted to believe that a lot of Emily's hatred and violence was stemmed from the resistance and her own father's influence. Nymphs were tricksters, sure, but they weren't traditionally violent, nor did they follow the leader that well, especially if that leader was human. She wanted to believe that Emily was brainwashed, much like she had brainwashed Dyson, but Lauren knew better.

One thing she did learn from this trip: Lauren knew without a doubt that her father couldn't be the leader of the resistance. Somebody else was calling all of the shots. Her father was just another pawn in some twisted game to ensure Lauren and Bo never reached their true potential.

Last night, Lauren had woken up, body sweating and shaking, from a nightmare. Bo was still sound asleep beside her but managed to wake when Lauren jumped from the bed in a frenzy. She was overly hot and couldn't get her clothes from her body fast enough.

Looking down, she noticed that her wound, where Bo's chi had sealed it, was open slightly again. Lauren went into immediate doctor mode, and Bo seemed extra concerned. She offered more chi, but it was really only a scratch left, so Lauren cleaned and bandaged herself before crawling back into bed. Bo had grabbed the scar ointment from Lauren's bedside table and applied it for her, which did help to soothe her a little. There had been no problems since, though she did still feel a little tender where the knife had impaled her.

However, she found she couldn't get back to sleep after that. The only thing on her mind was this resistance. She had a feeling they would cease their attacks on them for the rest of the trip, but she still wanted to be on alert. They only had one more castle to visit, Bo's father's in Ashford, which meant they only had one more trial. Lauren knew it would have something to do with her. She just wasn't sure what else about her would need to be tested. Anything and everything Lauren could think of as a potential problem had already been solved from the tests they had already passed. There were a few thoughts, but she had since figured those out herself through the years.

It was the not knowing that was killing her, which was why she had coerced Bo into taking another detour trip between castles. She didn't care what Lachlan or Evony did to her when they got back. She needed some time to reflect on this before they went in head first without any preparation.

Bo walked them back to their rental, since the tour was over. Lauren had missed practically the entire thing; she couldn't even get excited when they visited the Radcliffe Science Library or when the tour guide snuck them in to see the Biochemistry research being done on campus. Bo had done a good of acting extremely interested despite not knowing or understanding much of what their guides told them.

When they arrived back in London, Lauren felt like a zombie as she walked back to the hotel room. She didn't even feel like exploring the city with her wife, despite it being one of the places Bo had been the most excited about visiting. They weren't that far from Ashford, where Samael's castle was, so Bo had felt like this was a great distraction before they tackled the last trial, as they waited on Lauren to fully heal.

Lauren desperately wanted to at least pretend like she could go see the sites with her wife and child. In reality, she just wanted this soreness to go away so they could move and finish this damned thing once and for all. She didn't want to tell Bo she changed her mind about taking a few days, though, because Bo seemed eager to explore. Getting ready for bed, Lauren finally suggested that to Bo, but her wife could tell she wasn't at full health yet and put her foot down on leaving until Lauren was actually ready. She even made a joke that they weren't leaving until she found out if the succubus touch would distract a Royal Guard, which made Bo write entries on both bucket lists. Lauren couldn't even smile at Bo wanting Lauren to be the Royal Guard she seduced; that one was added to the sexy bucket list, which Bo had taken very seriously.

Bo had even called Lachlan and threatened his "tiny Ash balls" over the phone if she even thought about giving Lauren grief for going over the ten days he gave her for official vacation leave. They were at ten days now, and there was no telling how long the final trial would take.

One thing Lauren did know? They wouldn't have to worry too much about the resistance if they did decide to attack. She had Tamsin call in reinforcements to guard the castle completely so they wouldn't have to focus on anything but the ritual and trial while inside. Honestly, she didn't think they would do anything; not after losing three divisions within ten hours span, including one of their major soldiers. If they did attack while on Samael's ground, it would be the stupidest move they ever made, and the resistance had survived this long because of their intelligence and strategy. Why be stupid now?

She had never been happier that Bo's dad was the biggest badass fae of them all. Nobody would dare attack his daughter and her family on his sacred ground. It was probably why they attacked so aggressively at Gram's.

Tamsin and Vex were there in Ashford now; putting up guards and organizing the defenses. Kenzi had called and tried to come back, stating that she really needed to be there for Bo because being in that place was a big deal for her. Lauren understood that, but Gram had said the girl was still having minor spasms, so she had to stay put until the infection completely cleared from her nervous system.

Dyson had insisted on coming, and so had Hale. Gram had shot that down, too, since Dyson had an episode the night before and had almost escaped. Lauren had explained that Bo had killed Emily, which was probably why he had reacted so strongly. He felt the emptiness from the thrall ripped completely from him instead of the slow detoxing he had been doing.

Lachlan and Evony both sent troops to keep guard over the castle while they were inside, too. Surprisingly, Evony had even made the offer to come help. Even more surprising, Lauren had almost said yes. The Morrigan was powerful and had a few nifty powers that would come in handy in the Dark Fae's most sacred territory.

The one phone call Lauren knew she had to make but was putting off? Her mother.

When Bo was asleep, having pulled Briann in between them in the bed, Lauren slowly extracted herself from the warmth and went into the bathroom, the cold from the toilet lid sneaking through her pajama pants. She knew it was almost ten o'clock back home, but she also knew her mother was probably still up. She dialed and immediately wanted to hang up on the first ring.

Instead, she gripped the phone and waited for an answer. When there was no answer, she became a little worried, holding the phone in front of her and hitting "End Call" before leaving a message. This wasn't something she could tell her mother in a voicemail. The phone's screen was the only thing illuminating the tiny dark room, and Lauren felt herself start to tear up a little.

On cue, her phone went off and she hit "Answer," afraid the noise intrusion would wake Bo and Briann in the other room. She didn't know how much sound could really echo in a tiny space. Well, she did, but that was different in context.

"Lauren?" Her mother sounded worried, which was understandable considering Lauren didn't call unless bad things or major events were happening. She actually hated that this phone call was for that reason, too. "Lauren? Are you wasting my time, or did you need something?"

"Oh, uh, yes." Lauren cleared her throat, hearing how low and dry her voice was from not using it today.

"Mother told me about the trials. I'm assuming you finished them?" As though that would be the only reason she would call her mother.

"No, we still have to go to Samael's castle; probably will be there tomorrow. So, not much longer and the trials will be over." Lauren took a moment to decide how to interpret the awkward silence. "I'm actually calling about something else. It's about Dad."

"Your grandmother told me about that, as well." Angela Lewis became really quiet again, though it didn't sound like she was angry about discovering her husband was a traitor. Lauren forgot that he wasn't technically betraying the fae. Lauren had to scoff; of course her mother wouldn't care what happened to humans. "It is in everyone's best interest right now if we don't let him know we're aware of his involvement with the resistance. Do not worry, though. He will be taken care of in due time."

"Are you going to kill him?" She did sound every bit a little girl just then and had to steel her resolve. Vulnerability was one of the things her mother had taught her to lock down tight.

"No, Lauren, I am not going to kill him." Angela took an audible breath before speaking again. "I wish you luck tomorrow."

"Thank you." Lauren stared at the phone. There were no cordial goodbyes, no "I love yous" like she suspected normal mothers and daughters exchanged over the phone. They didn't even discuss or acknowledge that she now knew everything about her mother, or that she actually loved Lauren. What good would that have really done, though?

After taking a few deep breaths to calm her nerves, she went to slip back into bed with her family, instantly feeling the warmth and love surrounding her again.

* * *

Bo stood on the stone staircase leading up to the place and looked out across her father's land. There was a lot of it; she wasn't sure she had ever seen so many green or hills or sheep in her life. The strangest thing about the land was that there wasn't really a castle on it. It was more like a large stone building with rooms gathered along the sides. It reminded her a bit of the old churches she used to visit with her adopted parents. Inside, there was a large room with decorations, candles, flowers, and some steam-filled thing on some altar-like steps. Bo had expected this place to be a little different, since her father was the oldest of the four clans, but not this different. He was actually one of the reasons some fae existed, and he had not been alive for a very, very long time.

The one thing she was not expecting was to walk in on a mass-type ceremony. There was a man in black and red robes with Samael's crest across the back, seemingly praying around a group of similarly robed men and women in the empty, spacious center of what she was going to call the temple room. No, this entire place was the temple, so this room was just the worship room. The smoke from the incense lanterns was filling the room with familiar scents of lavender and fresh cotton. It was almost like they had picked fresh lavender and made sure the laundry was done in preparation of their arrival. Upon closer inspection, she noted that the group was standing around a basin full of something, which as where the steam was coming out of, but she couldn't tell what. All she could see was the steam coming off from it.

If ever there was an ominous scene, this was definitely it. She should have been scared; she should have turned to Lauren and told them they were leaving immediately and to hell with the ritual and trial. Instead, she felt somehow calmer than she had felt in a while. She felt like she had finally come home, even though this wasn't a home at all.

She turned to Lauren, who had already been in closed mode the past few days, so it was hard to really get an honest read on her. When they walked further into the room, finally breaching the entrance, Bo felt the shift in the air. Since there wasn't a traditional front door to this place, that meant the trial had to be a little creative with how they were being trapped in here.

While Bo was trying to decide where to take their bags, Lauren instead tried to hand Briann to her. Previously, her wife wouldn't let anybody hold their daughter and was adamant that Bo keep her arms free in case of an attack. So, it was strange that Lauren tried to hand over Briann when Bo had her arms full already.

Instead of questioning too much, thinking Lauren noticed something that warranted investigation, Bo dropped the bags on the floor and took Briann. The ritual just continued on around them, despite the noisy disruption. Lauren didn't investigate anything, though; not in the sense that Bo had come to find her wife's insatiable curiosity about things. Instead, she just stood there and observed the group chanting around the steamy basin before going to pick up only her own bags, leaving Bo's and Briann's on the floor.

"I'm going to find rooms." With that, Lauren seemed to turn off her emotions completely. The bond was broken. Bo didn't like that. If Lauren was doing that, then something was seriously wrong. She would be trying to protect Bo if she noticed something bad about her father or this place. Lauren knew how much Bo was nervous and excited about this visit already; she wouldn't want to give her bad news right away.

They walked through the worship room and ventured off to the left side. There, they found Tamsin and Vex lounging in the dining hall, which was doubling as the living room, it seemed. Vex was the first to stand, not really doing anything but kicking his feet and complaining at the lack of entertainment. Tamsin just glanced up and smirked from the book she was reading.

"Bedrooms are through that door. There are only two, so I'll be crashing out here on the couch, since Vex here cheats at Rock, Paper, Scissors." Tamsin laid the book on her lap, holding her place with her index finger, and Bo noticed that Lauren reacted to the Valkyrie's energy like usual; it felt strange only noticing her wife's sexual energy and not getting the bond reading with it.

"Oi, love, it's not cheating if you keep picking rock. Try a little variety every now and then." Vex stood and actually helped by grabbing the bag Bo still had in her hand. Well, he helped by taking it from her and placing it on the dining table. "For a badass warrior, you should really work on your strategy skills."

"My skills are just fine." Tamsin arched an eyebrow at Lauren and smirked in response. The double entendre and flirting was not lost on Bo, who found herself growling a bit in warning.

"I am going to find a quiet place to work. I am sure there is a study or library in here somewhere." Lauren seemed almost too collected in her answer, and Bo narrowed her eyes at her wife, trying to get any reading beyond the cool façade and sexual energy. She was glad to know that Lauren burned bright for her, too, but she almost looked uncomfortable being around them. Her stance and demeanor actually made Bo see the extreme similarity between Lauren and her mother.

"Sure thing. I'll show you where to go." Tamsin literally hopped from where she was sitting to come stand next to Lauren, motioning for her to follow. When they had disappeared, Bo still couldn't wrap around how strange Lauren was acting.

With all of her own excitement about being here, she forgot there was one last test and that it would revolve around Lauren. Was that why the bond was broken? Were they supposed to go through some trial without having the bond? It wasn't the first time it had been dulled, so that didn't make sense. They had already proven they could survive that. What was it, then?

Lauren taking off didn't help matters any. Did she know what it was, which was why she broke the bond and took off without them to do work? That made a little more sense. What could be that bad, though? Bo decided to wait to ask about it later.

Right now, she was stuck with Vex, and they had a lot of bags to carry to the room. The constant chanting from the worship room finally ceased, so she left Briann with Vex while she went to retrieve the rest of the bags. All of the figures previously in the room had seemingly just vanished, no signs that anyone was here beyond the steaming basin, burning candles, and flowing incense. Curious, she walked up to the basin and peered inside. It was just steam over a stone basin not much bigger than the large birdbath in Gram's garden.

She ran her hands through the steam, feeling the warmth from the smoky vapors as she flowed patterns through it. She felt her eyes flash blue out of instinct, hearing someone behind her. She felt caught, like she was doing something illegal or sacrilegious in a holy place.

"Yeah, that's the foggy equivalent to an everlasting flame. It's been going since we've been here, and it hasn't stopped once." Tamsin walked further into the room, though she took tentative steps the closer she got to Bo and the basin. She stopped about twenty feet from her. "How are you that close to it? It has some weird barrier. Vex kept trying to find the off switch but got thrown back instead. Even the weird chanting cult couldn't get that close."

"Oh, uh. I don't know. I just walked up to it." Bo looked down at the basin again. There was nothing really phenomenal about it. "Maybe it's because I'm Samael's daughter, so I get some weird genetic pass being here?"

"Sure." Tamsin moved to grab some of the bags, and Bo was actually grateful for the extra help, since her wife was being none right now. She may have been the one carrying the bags, but that last trial taught her not to rely on showboating her strength and letting others help. "Vex and I grabbed some supplies and food. We may have overcompensated. He also insisted we have fish and chips from a local place for dinner tonight, since we're going to be trapped in this tiny space for who knows how long. We actually hadn't been back long when you got here."

"Sounds good." Bo looked to where Tamsin must have entered from, seeing another outlet on the opposite side from where they were staying. "Lauren okay?"

"She's in the zone. Got right to it once I showed her the study." Tamsin was the first to move back toward the dining hall and bedrooms, so Bo picked up the rest of the bags and followed her. "I don't think I've ever seen her so focused."

"Sometimes, she has a hard time turning the doctor off." Bo looked back to the other hallway entrance across the expansive temple room before sighing and following Tamsin. She found Vex actually playing with Briann on the floor, having her stick out her hand like she was the one doing Mesmer tricks instead of him. She just giggled along with him, even though there was nothing to really Mesmer. Tamsin escorted her back to the bedroom, which was small and had a double bed, tub, fireplace, and small work table and chair.

"Bo?" Tamsin dropped the bags on the ground, and Bo went to lay hers on the bed. It was stiff; she could already tell. One thing this trip was teaching her was to be appreciative of the things they had back home, like indoor plumbing and electricity. It was yet another au natural trial. Gram was the only modern one in the family. Bo sat on the bed, confirming that they would be getting a bad night's sleep before looking up at Tamsin's questioning stare.

"What?" She honestly wanted to crawl into this bed right now and nap, but she also didn't want to leave Briann alone with Vex and Tamsin, since it was obvious Lauren was out of the question for a bit.

"With everything that's happened, is Lauren okay? She seemed a little…distant." Tamsin crossed her arms, standing with that confident swagger but appearing vulnerable at the same time. It was easy to believe and trust the Dark Fae detective honestly cared for Lauren when she looked like that. "She seemed intense, so it made it harder to tell how this place is affecting her. I tried to get a read on her, but...nothing."

"I know. She cut off the bond, so I can't tell anything beyond her sexual energy." Bo cleared her throat before smirking. "By the way, she may like you, but she is on fire for me."

"You wouldn't be able to tell right now. She barely said two words to me, and that was just 'thank you' before she bowed her head at me." Tamsin chuckled slightly, though her worry was still evident. "I mean, it was weird. I just want to make sure she's okay."

"I know. Me, too. When I put Briann down for a nap here in a bit, I'll have you keep watch while I go check on her." Bo stood from the bed and motioned for them to go back out and save the poor child from Vex.

After they ate the now cold fish and chips, Bo took Briann back to the bedroom and laid down in the bed with her. She could worry about figuring out a makeshift crib later. Maybe Lauren would have some good ideas about that. Once the little girl was out cold, Bo kissed her forehead, pushing back dark wavy locks. It was impossible not to love something so adorable. She leaned over for one last kiss before leaving Tamsin on guard.

Making her way to the other side of the building, Bo had no trouble finding the study. Lauren was there, concentration going from one book to another. That only fortified that she knew what was going on and was trying to get answers before alerting the others.

Lauren didn't register her presence, either. She just kept working, the pencil stuck between her teeth. Bo found herself a bit jealous at the pencil and had to lick her lips when Lauren tucked some loose blonde strands behind her ear in a seeming slow motion. This was what Bo imagined co-ed Lauren looked like, and if they had known each other in college, the woman never would have had a chance to become a doctor because Bo would have been too busy trying to get her to study anatomy hands on instead.

Suddenly feeling like a pervert for staring for so long without saying anything, Bo coughed to get her wife's attention. Tamsin was right. Lauren was super focused on her studies. She coughed louder, and that caused the woman to glance up at her. No smile, no hello; just a familiar spike in energy before Lauren blushed and went back to her studies. Bo moved farther into the room, coming to stand near the large table Lauren was using as a workspace. There were books already scattered, notes and charts organized across the surface, and fresh writing on a few legal pads in Lauren's distinct doctor script. Bo couldn't even read it to get some clue to what she was finding. She picked one up to see if that would help, but Lauren snatched it back and gave her the evil eye before immediately looking apologetic for her actions.

"Okay…" Bo held her hands up, not certain what was happening but knowing she better get an answer soon. "So, what do you think this trial is? Any hints yet?"

"I have patients who need me. If you need help with the trial, I will be here." Lauren went back to writing something out. Bo tried to follow, but her wife was being protective and covered the sheet with her hand. "Is there anything else? Does somebody need medical attention?"

"No." Bo narrowed her eyes and tried to notice anything that could trigger the coldness she was receiving. "I just came to check on you. Briann's down for a nap; do you need any help?"

"It's confidential fae stuff, Bo. I shouldn't even be letting you see this much." Lauren became protective again, as she laid a book on top of a chart. "You know I can't share Light Fae information with you."

"Are you okay?" Bo really was concerned now. Lauren was acting like she did when they first started dating; like she would get put into a dungeon any second just for talking to the unaligned succubus. "Is this trial about your freedom? It would make sense."

"What are you talking about, Bo?" Her eyes were wide and panicked now. Bo was sitting close enough that she could see how detached Lauren had truly become.

"The Ash owns you, and I've been wanting to fix that since the beginning."

"Yeah, well, you claimed me out of disrespect to the Light and married me according to fae law without bothering to shift ownership, so yes, he still owns me." Lauren steeled her jaw and gave away nothing. Where was the passion about this topic? It was like she had just given up and accepted this was the way the world worked.

"I'm going to figure out a way to change that."

"If you're going to shift ownership, just let me know before you do it. I have a few personal things I want to get from my lab office before I'm blacklisted from entering again." Lauren looked back down to her books.

"I don't want to own you, Lauren. I've never wanted that." Bo had always worried that Lauren thought like that; honestly, Bo had questioned her own motives a few times over the years, as well. Still, what she said was true. She didn't want to own Lauren. "I just want to love you and be a family."

"Is there anything else?" Lauren still didn't look up from her books. Bo hated seeing her like this; it was much worse than any of the times she felt like her wife was only being the doctor and ignoring her. At least back then Lauren still cared, and she definitely made eye contact. No, this Lauren was aloof.

"Yeah, any requests for dinner?" Bo tried to smile, but she was too worried. How was she supposed to pass this trial when it was one she had failed at so many times already?

"Go ahead and eat without me. I'll find something later. I'm busy."

"You sure?" Bo didn't like the idea of leaving Lauren in here like this. It was looking like she wouldn't have a choice. She would definitely be making a phone call to Gram soon, demanding more direct answers on how to accomplish this task. "You sure you want to leave me alone to cook for Briann? You do remember that I burned a pot of Spaghetti-O's once and still tried to feed it to Alexie?"

"She's your daughter, Bo." It was in the way Lauren said it that made Bo's instincts go on alert. "I'm just the vessel who carried your child to term."

"What are you talking about? You're Briann's favorite." Bo had stood to walk back to the kitchen, but she stopped when she saw just how detached Lauren was. It was more than just her burying herself in work or still being owned. "You're not a vessel. What the hell, Lauren?"

"You're a succubus, Bo. I don't expect anything from you. I know my place." Lauren said all of that with such strong conviction and unwavering eye contact that Bo wanted to kiss some sense into her. Something told her that would be a bad idea right now.

"Your place is beside me. Your place is with this family." Bo saw no reaction from her wife beyond a subtly sad eye spark. She was winning the Lewis family façade Olympics right now, just like Angela Lewis had trained her to do. She gave nothing away, which made it impossible for Bo to know what Lauren was truly feeling. It made it impossible to uncover the real problem for the test, and _that_ was a major problem. "Get your head out of your ass and actually tell me what you're really feeling."

"I'm feeling like I would like to get back to my work." Lauren gave her best badass look, and Bo had to admit it worked better than usual. Before, there was a hint of playfulness behind that look. This time, it was just cold and angry.

"Fine! Do your damn…" Bo bit her tongue. They had come this far, and she didn't know what the test even was. If it had something to do with Lauren ignoring them and only taking the role of the doctor, she didn't want to fail the test miserably by yelling at her. That would be the opposite of proving that they could handle this obstacle. So, Bo took a deep breath and calmed her own anger. "Fine."

"Now, is there anything else?" Lauren sounded frustrated now, and Bo could understand the sentiment. Instead of answering, Bo just took one last look at her wife before leaving her to it. She would definitely be making that phone call to Gram; it was obvious the woman would know something about freeing Lauren. It was time to have that conversation; it was time to make that happen, even if that wasn't what this trial was.


	32. Melt Your Cold, Cold Heart

Lauren stretched her limbs. Her entire body seemed to be aching, which was strange. She had been doing research for years nonstop, so it didn't make sense why her body was so tense right now. Instead of dwelling too much, because she knew she didn't have the time, she made her way to the other side of the temple to find dinner. She hadn't even registered that the light outside was completely gone; the little light she received from the burning candles had given her enough to read and make notes but even she could admit that it was straining her eyes.

For some reason, Lauren didn't feel productive, though. It was as though nothing could be solved right now, or maybe it was because nothing needed to be solved? It felt strange that she wouldn't bring the right medical files to do her work on this trip. Instead, all she had brought were fae medical files on the fae with them on the trip and Briann's medical file. She even had her own in there, for good measure. The only real work file she had brought was her work on succubus-created babies and reactions and actions of their births.

Lauren could admit she was curious. She had always wondered how she, a lowly human, was capable of carrying a succubus's baby to term and still live. Since she had nothing else to work on, she had turned her research focus there. She had lied to Bo about having fae patients, and she could admit to feeling a bit guilty and scared about lying. What Bo didn't know wouldn't kill her, though. Besides, she would probably be pleased to discover that her vessel could carry more children for her. Lauren had done enough research on succubi over the years to understand what to expect; she should not have survived that birth. Even with being a hybrid, she shouldn't have lived. It was a medical mystery, and considering there were no other ones to solve right now, Lauren decided that was the best use of her time. She didn't want Bo or the Ash to know she wasn't productive, even if she had been granted leave for this trip. "The second you stop to breathe is the second someone comes in and takes your place." That was what her mother had taught her. Lauren couldn't rest; it was a _working_ vacation.

Being married to a succubus was just as uncommon, too. Lauren was still trying to wrap her mind around why exactly Bo would want to fae marry her. She figured it had to do something with her surviving the birthing process, since she had made the request after Briann was about a month old, but there was something else. Something was niggling in the back of Lauren's mind, but she didn't want to voice it. The second she admitted it, even to herself, it would have power over her. She didn't want to believe it was even a possibility because in that lied treason, which meant the dungeon and possible execution. She had seen the old Ash kill for far less crimes, and Lachlan was relatively new so he was still looking for ways to prove his authority. Lauren had no doubt that he was keeping a close eye on her since she had been handed to the unaligned succubus, as though she was that easily discarded. Since Lachlan was Bo's brother, it was probably some under the table agreement to appease the champion.

That didn't mean Lauren had to like it.

Even if she did see Bo's appeal. Not even Dr. Lauren Lewis could deny the intense attraction. She would never allow herself to do anything about it, though. She couldn't afford that.

Something in her said that she had always seen why she wouldn't argue when Bo married her, but Lauren couldn't help but realize that her situation could have been worse. Even though she was having a hard time recalling memories right now, she somehow knew that Bo was attentive in bed. Then, Lauren would realize she was a succubus, so that was a given that she would be good at sex. There was no use dwelling on "what ifs" and fantasies. Bo could never love her; not really. It was best if Lauren just stuck to what she had learned growing up; it was best if she just stuck to her place.

That meant she had to ignore the intense pull she felt toward Bo, especially considering this particular succubus was in line to be queen one day. Lauren wasn't sure what this new trial was, but she knew that she had to help Bo pass any way possible. It was her duty as wife.

As she scavenged through the cabinets in the dining/living room, Lauren noticed Tamsin asleep on the couch. Well, she wasn't really asleep, but she was staring at her from the couch, where she was supposed to be asleep. Lauren stopped midbite between a biscuit, hoping that she wasn't eating something illegal. With the resistance attacking lately, Lauren had to be extra cautious. If Bo had taken such lengths to ensure that Lauren was tied to her, then she wouldn't like it if Lauren ate a poisonous cookie. They were store bought, but that didn't make them immune to poison since they were already opened.

"Late night?" Tamsin sat up on the couch, pulling the blanket to her chest. It was so dark in here that Lauren couldn't tell if the other woman was even dressed. "You've had a rough couple of days; why not try to get some rest? I'm sure our resident succubus wouldn't mind seeing you."

"Did she need me? She didn't say." Lauren swallowed the rest of the biscuit before grabbing an apple that was in the bin. She wasn't hungry anymore, but she knew she had to eat something. She bit into the tart fruit, chewing as softly and politely as possible as she came to sit down on the chair next to Tamsin.

"I think she's a little extra concerned right now. Lots of things at stake and whatnot." Tamsin definitely wasn't dressed, and Lauren swallowed a little harder than intended when she noticed this. "You almost dying still being a very fresh wound? I'm glad you're better, but Bo was just taking up space at the table; she looked angry and lost. Plus, Briann kept calling for you, which would just upset Bo more. I was kind of glad when they went to bed and Bo never came back out. It was kind of exhausting watching those two."

"How…" Lauren cleared her throat, feeling like she hadn't swallowed the apple completely but knowing all was fine. She felt nervous for some reason, but she refused to show that. Nobody could see her emotions, no matter what they were. That was one of the things her mother had taught her, too. That was one of the things she had learned with her time as a Light Fae ward. Just because she had spent some years being tied to Bo didn't mean she was allowed to let that go. "Bo gave into her inner powers back at my grandmother's castle. Have you noticed any residual effects of that?"

"I wouldn't even know what to look for, Doc. That's kind of your thing." Tamsin smirked, not seemingly caring that the sheet slipped a little and exposed the tops of her breasts. Lauren took a deep breath, refusing to physically show her reaction to the flesh on display. "Go see your wife. Get some rest. We'll worry about things tomorrow, okay?"

"Sure." Lauren narrowed her eyes, not sure what to expect. If Bo wasn't asleep but needed to feed, Lauren felt somewhat vulnerable being trapped in this place. It was like everything she secretly desired was fighting everything she was to allow herself to feel something. She knew that if she did that, though, then her entire life could implode on itself. Everything she had accomplished thus far could be torn from her at any minute. She wouldn't let her feelings get in the way of that.

Lauren moved back to the room she was supposed to share with Bo, moving quietly so as not to disturb the sleeping child or woman in the tiny space. Lauren had to smile a bit at Bo's genius at makeshift crib-making. Since the main bed wasn't that big, there would definitely be no extra room for extra bodies, even little baby ones. Lauren actually found herself relieved to know she wouldn't have to fight her natural maternal instincts toward the baby; it was already hard enough, even if she had no idea what to do with a child. She didn't think she could fight her feelings for two people, especially considering how adorable the baby really was. It was easier to ignore those sneaking feelings for Bo without Briann in between them.

Plus, if Bo wanted to feed, then having a child in the bed was a moot point. There were times when Lauren wished she could just feel _something_ for Briann. The Hestian part of her really wanted to, but she held back everything. After all, it was what her mother had done. It was how she was taught to survive in this world, and Briann was Bo's heir. That meant Bo was the one who got to call the shots in raising the child; Lauren knew her place.

"Hey." Bo's groggy voice brought Lauren from her musings, as she was half dressed in the stuffy room. Her momentary vulnerability had hoped that Bo wouldn't need anything tonight. Lauren wasn't sure she could hold back or mask her emotions right now. "Everything okay? What time is it?"

"I'm not sure. Go back to sleep. You must be exhausted after the long trip." Lauren quickly slipped into her long pajama pants and long-sleeved sleeping shirt. There was no need to tempt the succubus with more exposed flesh than necessary.

"You, too, babe. Come on." Bo lifted the sheet a little, and Lauren actually found herself dreading being near the succubus. Not that she didn't think it would be phenomenal what would occur, but Lauren was worried about letting go tonight. . If she already was feeling a sense of decay at her barriers, then having sex with her succubus wife was not going to help. It would only blur those lines more and make it harder to do her job. "I snuggled on your side of the bed to keep it warm for you. I was starting to worry you wouldn't come to bed at all. Briann kept wanting you, too. She was hard to put down tonight; she's more used to you putting her to bed. I think she senses something, but I honestly didn't know what to tell her."

"I have work. You know that." Lauren tried her best to put up her defenses stronger, and she knew she sounded snippy for it. The same thing had happened earlier when Bo bombarded her in the study. Lauren knew scientifically that her emotions were part of the fae wedding ritual; it was hard not to feel connected to somebody who claimed you as their one true person for eternity. Still, Lauren knew the reality of allowing herself to feel something. It was dangerous for her in the fae world. If Bo, the future queen, wanted Lauren by her side, then she wasn't going to fight that fact; not that she could if she wanted. Again, it could have been much worse. She could have been forced into fae marriage with Dyson or Hale. At least she had ended up with someone she would probably prefer given the choice. While the Morrigan and Ash had given her an option, Lauren had forgone the pleasures of the flesh promised by the Morrigan in pursuit of science. Science was safer.

"Work can wait. You need sleep, Lauren." Bo shifted over to the other side of the bed, and Lauren slipped in beside her. It felt odd right now, being next to a radiant woman and wanting to hold back. When Lauren was settled, she didn't protest when Bo moved to wrap a loose arm around her, though she immediately tightened instead of relaxing. "We need to complete Briann's thing tomorrow. Apparently, the chanting and worshipping happens sporadically throughout the day, so we'll have to move fast when the temple room quiets."

"Of course. Just let me know a projected time so I can plan my work day accordingly." Lauren breathed in slowly and instantly regretted it. Citrus and honey notes invaded her senses; the smell was like a familiar warm hug that she wouldn't allow herself to embrace fully. "Do you need anything tonight?"

"I need you to relax and sleep." Bo nuzzled her neck into Lauren's shoulder, placing a soft kiss there. Lauren didn't mean to stiffen, but she couldn't help it. She wanted to relax and fall into the embrace, but she was afraid what would happen if she let her guard down for something as simple as a touch. It would have been easier if Bo had just whammied her. Then, she could use that as an excuse for what she was feeling. "Good night."

Lauren hummed lightly in response, holding the arm over her torso and trying to calm her own breathing, even as the succubus next to her seemed to fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Bo remembered Lauren had called Gram for that first trial, so she felt it was safe to ask for guidance on this final trial. Her wife had seemed distant, and there were too many possibilities that distance could actually mean. Regardless of which possibility it was, Bo was stumped how she could solve it trapped in this small space away from everybody. That was the point, she knew, but she still wanted some guidance.

Since she was only sporting half power on her phone without any way to charge it, Bo hoped the conversation would be both brief and productive in case she needed to make another phone call. Luckily, Gram picked up on the third ring and sounded quite chipper. Bo could hear her best friend laughing in the background and desperately wished Kenzi was here to help.

"Bo, dear, how is the final trial? Have you discovered the problem yet?" Gram laughed again, pulling the phone away from her ear to say something to those around her, though Bo couldn't quite make out what she said. When the older woman shushed the crowd, she returned with more attention to the phone conversation. Bo could hear the phone click to speaker, and she could tell people had left the room. "Okay, so…the final trial?"

"I'm not sure. I mean, I know it's to do with Lauren, and she has been acting strange since we were trapped here, but…I'm not really sure what to do. I have a couple of ideas, but what happens if I'm wrong? Better yet, how am I supposed to solve this trial with such limited access and resources?" Bo didn't even give the other woman a chance to respond. This was stuff she had already deduced for herself, so she didn't really need confirmation. Not when she had more pressing matters to attend. "Okay, okay, I know that's probably the point. I just…Lauren's distant, moreso than I've ever seen her, and…that's lonely. For both of us. It scares me."

"Lauren is distant?" Gram sounded all knowing again, probably smirking because she _did_ know the answer, which only pissed Bo off even more.

"Yes, and I'm calling in that demanding answers thing again. If you know something, tell me." Bo didn't suspect they had much time to complete the ritual. Even though they had not come across it, and Lauren had voiced her concern of being trapped somewhere for a long time, Bo had a feeling there was a time limit to completing the trials, too.

"Lauren was always distant, Bo." Gram became quiet and audibly sighed, as though this wasn't the issue and Bo had completely missed the mark. Bo could hear Kenzi whisper something, too, which explained why the secretive woman put the secretive call on speaker.

"Sure, but not lately. Not the past few years. Not to this degree." Bo had to take a few deep breaths, feeling a mild panic surfacing. "She's been loving and great these past few years, but this is worse than that time she gave me the silent treatment for five days. I doubt bringing her flowers and begging repeatedly is going to work this time."

"What has been the factor that changed Lauren the most?" Gram cleared her throat, as though reverting back to her cryptic nature was allowed again. Bo decided to fight her battles, since she actually understood what Gram was saying for a change.

"I mean, she started loosening up a lot when she was given the lab." Bo remembered the day Lauren found out that she was getting her residual freedom. She was happy; her expression was nothing but pure joy before it sunk in that she was actually only adding to her workload instead of erasing her slavery. "Is it her freedom? Am I supposed to get her freedom?"

"I can assure you that is not the trial." Again, that knowing tone. "Think more, Bo."

"I could handle it; I've come to expect and know distant, doctor-mode Lauren. I can even deal with the severed bond because we've both done it before, but…it's...she's acting like Briann isn't even hers. She kept referring to herself as the vessel and keeps asking me what I need, like she's my own personal chi keg I keep on tap with me at all times. I wouldn't think anything of it except that it's all she says when we're around each other. This morning at breakfast, she wouldn't even eat anything until I started eating. Even then, she barely took two bites before asking to be excused to her work. She asked me to be excused, Gram. That's not Lauren."

"Not anymore, no. You're forgetting she had a quiet and lonely life before you."

"So, what? I'm the factor? Am I supposed to sex her up, do the bond again?" She could admit she was a little bit fond of that idea. Even crazy, distant Lauren was hot as hell, and her energy read said she would definitely like it, too.

"Well, what did you do the first time?"

"What do you mean?"

"You said it yourself, you're the factor. I saw it immediately; it's how I knew you two were the ones from the Oracle's vision. It was just up to you, free will and all, to fulfill it." Gram and those damn fae destinies. At least Bo was smart enough to know she couldn't walk away from Lauren forever when they crossed paths again after the hearbreak at the farm. When Lauren dropped any notion of a relationship or emotional response then, Bo recalled how similar that response was to Lauren right now. "I was never allowed to interfere. I had to let you two happen on your own terms."

"So, I'm supposed to fulfill the Oracle's prophecy? I thought I already did that? What kind of lame ass trial is this?" Bo felt so lost in this moment. The thought that Lauren didn't love her, that they never shared what they did these past few years, made her uncomfortable. Lauren was right that Bo always led with her heart. If they got stuck with Lauren like this, Bo felt like she would desperately and constantly be grasping at straws until her wife died. It would tear her apart, and she would never feel love again, and that scared her.

"Without you, Lauren was only ever destined for a life of servitude until her death. She had no friends and nothing beyond her work. She knows how the world works better than any fae ever did, so she is well aware how rare you are. Of all succubi in history, only two have ever committed to someone completely. A scientist will not see exceptions to the rule, especially one with such ferocity and training to forget her emotions and feelings completely; even if being an exception runs in your family. If she has reverted to her former mentality, then she will only see you as a succubus and not expect anything beyond that."

"Lauren has always been afraid of being her mother, or rather what her mother made her to be. It's always caused her to hold back with me; when we got together, when we committed to each other, when we were talking about having children because I went whacked out succubus predator, and especially when I wanted to get fae married. Is that what this is?"

"I can't tell you that, Bo. I can tell you that you know how to solve the problem. What you do with that knowledge is up to you. There are no guarantees. I can tell you that the easiest way to fail is to give up or not try at all." Gram took another deep breath, and Bo could almost see her big smile. "Look around you; there are more sources available to you than measly archives and tomes. Your father's temple is full of life. It may be smaller than you've been used to lately, but you can use that to your advantage if you're smart about it."

"Let me talk to Kenzi. I can tell she's there. You have me on speaker phone, so I know she's heard everything." Bo had actually been surprised when she realized this, especially since Gram was so hardcore about privacy. Gram wouldn't have if she didn't think they were safe, and Bo had to trust that.

"I'm here, BoBo." Kenzi cleared her throat and chuckled slightly. "I made Gram do it. Besides, this saves a shit ton of repeated explanation, and I knew you'd call me eventually. Gram did, too. I'm sure you're running on low battery there."

"Thanks, but…can you take me off speaker phone?" Bo really just wanted to flesh this out with Kenzi, her best friend, the person who had been _her_ initial changing factor. Without Kenzi, Bo probably would have ran long before she even had a chance to meet Lauren. Destiny or no, free will was a bitch, and she knew they met when they did because everything seemed to align and the parties involved had allowed it to happen. Bo had since come to terms with fate's role in her marriage, but she also knew that they were the ones responsible for making it happen.

"You're on private. What's up, sweet cheeks?" Kenzi chuckled, and it sounded like she had gone completely away from wherever they were, giving them extra privacy. "I'm not sure I have much else to tell you that Gram didn't."

"I just…I needed to hear your voice." Bo instantly felt calmer, even as she watched Briann sleep. It really was amazing that this little girl slept like a rock. She definitely took after Bo in that regard. Of course, they had become better at timing their drama, too, to fit Briann's sleep schedule, which included a long, usually undisturbed sleep and one long nap in the afternoon. The baby was "go-go-go" energy when she was awake to make up for it, though. That was something Briann got from Lauren, who was always "go-go-go." Bo, with all her extra fae energy, felt exhausted sometimes watching after their daughter, and she was glad to have such a great partner with Lauren. That's probably why this distant Lauren was eating at her more than if it was just her this was affecting. "I'm lost, Kenzi."

"Bo, my love, you have not been lost for a long time." Kenzi seemed to be smiling, which did cause Bo to relax even more. "Look, this final trial is just that: the final one. That means it's going to be hard, and it's going to be a doozy. So Lauren's acting all distant? Nothing we haven't handled before. You just have to remind her why you two fell in love in the first place. You have to crack that shell open again."

"I've tried. Trust me, but the only thing that happens is Lauren tensing. I know she wants me; I can still read her energy, but Kenzi, I'm worried. What if this is more than just pre-Bo Lauren? I can't take all of the credit for changing her because most of that, she did on her own. How am I supposed to convince her when she has all of these reimagined memories of our life together? I mean, she doesn't even think I wanted her badly enough to switch ownership, like she was some car to be traded at will and like the only reason I married her was because of some power move so she could birth my children and feed me at my command. There's no emotion there from her other than the lust she's suppressing, and it makes me feel like I've lost the best parts of me."

"It's Lauren, Bo. She loves you. No amount of crazy hoodoo ritual trial crap is going to change that, and you know it." Kenzi took a deep breath, and Bo allowed the silence for a minute. She didn't even know what else to say; this entire trial really did have her lost. The idea of making Lauren fall in love with her again was extremely appealing, but Bo wanted the old love back now. It was always what kept her grounded and sane. It was what kept her darker urges at bay and made her want to only ever be a good person. It was what made her feel like a person and not just someone with super sexy powers. "You'll figure it out, Bo. In the meantime, go remind her why you're in love. If she turns out to be a Russian nesting doll, remind her again and again until you finally reach that center one. You know better than anyone about the reward in the center,"

"Thanks, Kenz." She could admit this scared her because there was a reimagined history going on in Lauren's mind that Bo had no idea about. Lauren was logic personified, so she probably knew all of Bo's moves and had an explanation for all of them. Bo had thought losing her control and losing her strength were the scariest trials so far, but losing Lauren and their love was much, much worse. These trials were about both of them, and Bo realized how their relationship was the real foundation.

"Bo, just…remember that words and actions are two different things. Alexie's father used to tell me he loved me, but that didn't amount for shit." Kenzi never really talked about the guy much, but she surprisingly also never said anything negative about him. She kept saying there was no use sending negative energy to Alexie about his father, since she had seen what it did to Bo. The young woman was always going to be honest to her son about his father, and Bo respected that immensely. "This is going to be hard, and I'm sorry you don't have your uber hot, super stylish love guru wingman best friend to help you through this. You sure you don't want me to fly out and sneak in there?"

"Are you feeling better?" Bo smirked, knowing she probably did but that Lauren would be super angry at them if Kenzi showed.

"Yes, I am. Don't worry about me." Kenzi knew, too, which is why Bo knew she wouldn't show regardless of how badly she wanted it. "Go get your girl."

"I love you, Kenz." Bo smiled into the phone, wishing for a big Kenzi hug about now. Hell, a Hestian hug would come in handy, too. She was in her father's place but was feeling a distinct lack of familial warmth right now. It was something she had been so surrounded by that she craved it.

"It's not me you have to convince." Kenzi said her goodbyes, and Bo wanted to cry. Nobody but Briann was in here, and the bond was severed, so nobody would know if she did. She hated this empty, lost feeling. She wanted Lauren back. Instead of crying, Bo fought her tears and stood with a renewed sense of ambition. She was going to get Lauren back because the alternative was not an option for her.


	33. Say it Loud, Say it Clear

Lauren didn't know what to think about the sudden change in her wife. Bo had been lurking about, trying to take up her time more than usual. She brought her food, tried to coerce her to take breaks from her work, and kept bringing her gifts. Lauren found the behavior odd, but then again, Bo had always been an odd succubus. Her loyalty in her feeding habits had always astonished Lauren, knowing how much easier it would be for the woman to just go out and find random conquests every night instead of coming home and pretending to live in domestic bliss with a human. Okay, so Lauren knew her hybrid chi was much more fulfilling than a basic human or fae, but it was still odd.

That Bo was acting odder didn't make her feel any better.

She wasn't sure what Bo was going to do next, and it worried her. She was already having trouble fighting her emotions; when Bo seemed to be obsessed with "winning her love," as the succubus had called it, Lauren had a hard time hiding her quiet smiles at the attention. It was flattering, she had to admit, but she didn't trust the endgame. With everything they had gone through together over the years, including getting fae married and having a child, why would Bo pick now to decide she wanted love in the relationship? Lauren didn't trust the motives; not with being in this place. What if it was some weird trial where Bo had to prove she could love despite her nature? It would make sense that she would focus on her own wife, considering it was the only chance she would have at love.

Still, she was trying too hard, and that made Lauren less willing to believe the honesty behind her actions or words. Fae always had an ulterior motive; she was just better at reading Bo's.

The door to the study opened, and Lauren felt herself panic. Her palms started to sweat like a nervous school girl waiting for her prom date to show, which he never did in her case. She actually sighed in relief when she noticed it was Tamsin instead of Bo. Really, they had to be running out of things Bo could give her as gifts anyways. This place wasn't that big.

"Relax, Doc. It's just me." Tamsin walked quickly into the room to grab a chair and straddle it right next to where Lauren was working, not bothered by invading her space but relaxing instead. Why couldn't Bo just be genuine like this? Maybe she could believe her, then. "Afraid the succubus is going to scare you with more flowers or food? I think I saw her building a miniature Taj Mahal out of macaroni."

"Funny." They both knew she didn't find it funny. Lauren rolled her eyes before leaning back in her chair. She had been working nonstop and could see the last tray of food Bo had brought her, trying to encourage her yet again to eat since she wouldn't come to join them at meals. The flower petals across the tray and the handwritten declaration of love were too cliché romance novel. No wonder Lauren didn't buy into it; she wasn't the romance novel type. She never had been. "What brings you here? Everything okay?"

"As okay as it can be, I suppose, considering the lack of places to hide from Vex or your insane wife. I never thought I'd say that I prefer the company of an actual child. Your kid is actually kind of fun." Tamsin leaned over and grabbed the tray, pushing it toward Lauren more. "I know you haven't eaten, and you know you need to. Nobody wants you passing out because you're too stubborn to take care of yourself."

"Sure." Lauren looked at the tray being pushed in front of her, doing her best not to scold Tamsin for pushing it on top of her work notes and files. Instead, she took the fork and actually started eating whatever it was. Since they had limited resources, they made do with what they had. Luckily, Tamsin and Vex had stocked up on some provisions and prepared, so they at least had some form of healthy food. She picked at the broccoli, which was more mush than actual broccoli. "It's good to know Bo isn't feeding Briann junk; she'll need more vegetables like this if she wants her daughter to grow up strong and healthy."

"She's your daughter, too, you know?" Tamsin looked across the various notes and texts Lauren had scattered across the table before returning her friendly eye contact. "She's smart like you, so there's no denying she's a large part of you. Do you want me to bring her over to see you? She's been calling for you. Bo actually had a hard time getting her down for a nap earlier because the little nugget was so upset her 'mom mom' wasn't there."

"I'm sure Bo wants to shut down on that behavior now. There's no use of Briann getting attached to me; it'll make it harder for Bo to raise her how she wants." Lauren took a bite of the cold, limp broccoli and immediately wished she hadn't. It was mushy and unpleasant in her mouth. "Besides, I need to finish this work and stay out of Bo's way. If she needs me for the trial, she knows where to find me. She's already proven that a dozen times just today."

"Is this part of the trial?" Tamsin picked up a notepad and smiled at Lauren, who tried to grab for it. The detective only pulled it away from her reach and laid it back on the table, as though she had never disturbed it. "Trying to discover how to survive another succubus-induced birth? Are you pregnant again?"

"No." Lauren was actually glad for that. It was hard enough staying away and keeping cold and distant to one child; she couldn't imagine doing it to two or more. Not right now, at least. Even her mother couldn't do that, as she had only ever ignored Lauren but seemed to adore and encourage the others. Okay, so Lauren knew her mother did love her, but the Angela Lewis method had worked; maybe a little too well. She couldn't deny that, and she was determined to keep her place. Bo may have fae married her, but succubi didn't need love. She could very well leave her if she wanted. Lauren would probably die before a divorce would go through, but that didn't mean Bo couldn't leave her. "I just know that, being Bo's vessel, she'll probably want more children in the future. I just want to make sure I stay alive when that happens. She won't be able to marry again after me, or have a relationship again, so I need to make sure she gets everything she needs from _me."_

"Careful, Doc. You almost sound like you care." Tamsin smirked before wrapping her arms around the chair's back and leaning more to Lauren. "Bo might get the impression you actually like her."

"I do like her." Lauren couldn't believe she was saying this out loud, but Tamsin was her closest friend right now, and she was definitely not bias toward Bo. She wouldn't try to help the succubus; not if it meant giving up Lauren so easily. "It's part of her succubus charm; it's hard not to like her."

"Well, I'm not a fan. You know where my attentions go." Tamsin smirked at her behind an extra flirty look. The unresolved feelings there were just as tempting. Maybe it would be easier to give in and let go with Tamsin; the thought had crossed her mind a few times since they met. Tamsin wasn't asking her for love or forcing her into a commitment like Bo did. She was just asking for Lauren to let loose a bit and enjoy their time together, and that was refreshing. There was no big epic battle or destiny with Tamsin; it was easy with her.

"If you kissed me, do you think Bo would give up this…whatever this is?" Lauren pushed the tray back, noticing she barely ate but knowing she was dizzy from hunger.

"I think if I kissed you, the last thing on my mind would be Bo." Tamsin's flirty look turned to one of solid expression. If this stoic warrior could show her emotions so easily, then couldn't Lauren just let go a little? What would it really hurt? "We also both know that I won't kiss you because I don't have a death wish."

"What if this trial is about Bo learning to tame her territorial nature, though? It would make sense as a test, since she seems to be way too protective of the things she feels she has to. If I'm no longer in the picture, then she could be free to rule without worrying about me. She could spend time focusing on Briann and being a good queen." Lauren hoped that wasn't true, but she saw the logic behind testing her ability to let Lauren go. It would also explain why she was trying so hard to get Lauren to love her. "Maybe I should start sleeping on the couch with you."

"Because the succubus will really love that." Tamsin leaned back in the chair and actually laughed a bit. Lauren let herself smile a little in response. "Look, if you feel that's what you need to do to gain some perspective on the situation, I can crash on the floor. I will never complain about getting your company. I can't say the same for Bo losing it."

Tamsin didn't stay long after that, obviously getting bored since Lauren went right back to work and ignored the world. When Bo came in to tell her dinner was ready, Lauren had to rest and eat something, or she would pass out, so she left her work bubble and immediately wished she hadn't when she sat down at the table. Dinner served its purpose of refueling her, but she felt so out of place, and it was hard to sit there with everyone looking at her, especially Bo with her longing eyes and Briann constantly trying to get her attention.

After dinner, Lauren wasn't sure she could take much more of Bo doting on her. It made her feel uncomfortable, and honestly, it scared her a little. When they had retired to bed that night, Lauren on her way back to the study to finish up for the day, Bo looked extremely hurt and angry that Lauren even suggested sleeping somewhere else. She tried to argue but bit her tongue, obviously trying hard not to scare Lauren more or get on her bad side.

Around what she felt like was close to midnight, Lauren went to grab a particular book from the shelf in the study and smiled at holding such an ancient tome. She scanned through the book, since it had no title, and was surprised to find more tales from succubi past. What was even scarier was that this particular book was a medical textbook, almost, for those wanting to know and understand the full biology of a succubus. Lauren smiled, confident she knew everything there was to know about succubi. She stayed up to read the book anyways, confirming she was the expert already. No wonder Bo liked to keep her around; she knew everything there was to know about the woman's body.

A familiar stress of arousal shot through Lauren, and she looked around as though somebody had caught her outside of her doctor role. It was harder to fight her own urges lately, and thinking about Bo's body and the things they did together caused her to flush completely. There was no denying their sexual chemistry. Lauren knew science couldn't lie to her in that regard. Her attraction to Bo had always been genuine, and so had her own feelings, but she refused to let the succubus have her heart. She refused to give in.

Lauren licked her lips and felt her nipples stiffen from her arousal. She had to close her eyes, like she had so many times, to stamp down on the emotions that usually came with it. Lauren had always been able to separate emotion from sex; it's another reason she felt like a good mate for Bo. There was no complication of feelings involved, so she could give exactly what Bo needed to survive and stay in good place professionally. Like her mother had taught her, there was no room for emotions when you wanted to survive yourself.

* * *

Another day passed. That meant this was the third day they had been trapped in this place, and Bo was starting to feel claustrophobic and helpless. She had done everything she could possibly think of to get Lauren to notice her more. She tried every romantic trick she could think of, including reciting poetry to Lauren at dinner. The only response she got was an embarrassed and more closed off Lauren.

Then, she tried her old tricks; the ones she knew worked before. She had forced herself to ignore any of her own needs and focused instead on making sure all of the chores were done, Briann was taken care of, and then trying to coerce Lauren into paying attention to her. Every time Lauren asked if she needed to feed in that clinical tone, Bo wanted to scream and punch a wall. She wasn't even hungry and hadn't even felt her eyes flash in arousal once. It's like her own body understood what was happening and was waiting for Bo to figure it out herself without the added distraction.

She wanted her wife back but had no idea how to accomplish that if Lauren was going to keep closing herself off more and more. Bo felt like the clock was running out, and she was failing miserably.

After all, she had already lost her to Tamsin last night. At least the Valkyrie detective didn't push any details other than Lauren not ever coming to the couch to sleep. The last person she wanted to hear say "don't give up on her" was Tamsin. It only pissed Bo off even more this afternoon when she said it.

Really, Bo only had one more move she could think of to make. It wasn't giving up; it was just plain failing if she exhausted everything she could do.

The night already made its presence known in this dark environment. The candles around the temple were the only thing illuminating the place, and Bo actually had to squint a bit to make her way past the steaming castle. It was darker in the worship hall than it was in the living quarters or study. She passed the steaming bowl and actually knocked tentatively on the study door instead of just barging in like she had been the past few days. She didn't want to alarm Lauren any more than she already had.

"Come in." Lauren sounded tentative, too. There were only a few people it could be, and none of them had probably knocked once. Bo took a deep breath and steeled herself before walking into the room, noticing just how beautiful Lauren really looked in soft candlelight. She had been spending a lot of time in this room, reading and writing to such low light.

"Do you need more candles? This can't be good on your eyes." Bo looked around the room, trying to decide how to best approach this. She had come unprepared this time. Planning was never her forte anyways; maybe that's where she had gone wrong this whole time. She walked further in the room to place the bag of gummy bears on the table next to Lauren. "Sorry I didn't bring some better offering."

"It's fine, Bo." Lauren actually smiled a little at her. Bo knew gummies were Lauren's Achilles heel candy, especially bear-shaped ones. She always said they were the right size for chewing, and it was funny to think about how statistically humans (and fae) ate more bears in a year than bears attacked or mauled people. The doctor actually put down her pen, her fingers and hands already stained with black marks that indicated how intensely she was working. "It's actually refreshing to see you not trying to ram an entire meal down my throat for a change."

"Well, without you, this and take out would probably be my diet." Bo watched as Lauren opened the bag and dumped the entire contents of the bag on a fresh sheet of paper she laid on the table just for this OCD thing. She went about separating them by color, which was always so quirky and adorable. The first time Bo had seen her do it, she thought the woman was nuts. It was a quirky nuts, though, and Bo had since learned a pattern about eating candy with her wife. It took Bo a few times to realize she organized the colors by the rainbow spectrum, too. When she asked once, Lauren explained the scientific whatchamcallit about it; all Bo heard was how sexy Lauren was while explaining it. "As you can see, I may have hidden a bag in my suitcase when we were packing for the trip. I thought we could share them."

"Of course." Lauren finished arranging them and went to start eating the pile of white ones. Lauren had a method to how she ate the gummy bears; she only like the yellow, white, and orange ones, but she always ate them according to flavor, saving her favorite for last. Bo picked up the green and red piles, mixing them together in her palm, as she started to eat them and not caring which one she had. Instead, she just relaxed that Lauren was allowing the simple time together. "Is everything okay? Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine, Lauren. You can stop asking that. I'll let you know if I need something." Bo finished chewing a duo of green and red in her mouth before swallowing and gripping the remainder in her hand a little bit tighter. "I just wanted to check and make sure you didn't need anything else before I went to bed. We've been so focused on other things lately that we haven't really had time to just be…together."

"Mmm." Lauren was more sophisticated and slow in her chewing. She even held her fingers to her lips as an apology as she hummed her response.

"I'm sorry I've been so pushy lately." Bo watched Lauren slow her chewing, but her eyes were so expressional. Even when she was cold and distant, the woman could convey everything with her eyes, even the things she couldn't or wouldn't say. What Bo saw made her smile a bit; her Lauren was still in there somewhere. Bo just had to figure out a way to get her out. "I remember what being loved by you feels like, and I got lost without it. I wanted that feeling back so much that I forgot to actually recognize this is just as much about you and what you're feeling. I never knew you or saw you as this distant, clinical person you were taught to be. I only ever saw _you._ I only ever fell in love with you, even this version of you that could never love me. I guess it's kind of funny considering I'm a succubus, who is not supposed to feel love or desperately want a happy ending with someone she loves, yet here I am."

"Bo…" Lauren cleared her throat. It was the way she said her name; the intensity behind it and the expression on her face. Bo felt her heart swell and break repeatedly in slow motion over and over again. "I never said I didn't love you."

"Then, what is it? I'm here to listen because I could never have done half the things I have without you, and I don't want to lose that." Bo wanted to relax her body, but it had a different idea and stiffened without warning. Her body was preparing her for a big blow, just like her heart was preparing her for heartbreak. "I love you, Lauren, and I know words probably don't mean much to you right now, but…I do. I love you."

"I believe you." Lauren held her hands on her lap and gripped her thighs. It was something she did when she was trying to control herself. "I just can't take that risk that you'll stop one day. I can't risk my place or position with the fae if you decide you're done with me."

"Your place is with me, Lauren. I'm never going to stop loving you." Bo held her breath, not entirely sure why other than the need to calm her racing heart.

"You said it yourself. Words don't mean anything." Lauren stood and went to the shelf to grab some book, bringing it back and handing it to Bo. "You're a succubus. If I give into you, then you will tire of me easily. Part of your nature is the chase. Like a child who gets a coveted toy only to forget about it once a new toy surfaces, you're likely to forget about me once you have me. I won't lie and say I don't want you. Our time together should prove that, but you also know that the second I give in completely to you is one second closer to you leaving me."

"This book on succubi?" Bo stood to meet Lauren's eye level and wiggled the book in her hands a bit before dropping it on the table, not caring that it made a loud disturbance that raised both of their blood pressures. "You must be forgetting one important detail, Doctor."

"What's that?" Lauren steeled her jaws, and Bo could see her wife's defenses kicking in big time.

"I may have succubus powers, may be more powerful than most fae, and may be on the fast track to some seemingly made up throne…" Bo leaned forward and placed her hands on Lauren's shoulder, invading her personal bubble a bit. "…but I'm every bit as human as you are."

"I still can't love you." Lauren was almost shaking, as though she were afraid and not doing a good job of keeping her cool composure like normal. Was loving Bo really that scary for the woman? If this was true, it really put perspective on their entire relationship that she was even willing to allow it the first time.

"But you do." Bo wanted to pull Lauren into a hug; she wanted to soothe her. She came really close to giving in and just using her succubus powers, but that would have proved Lauren's point for her. "I'm a succubus, sure, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of loving someone for eternity. My fae structure isn't who I am; it's just part of what makes me Bo. Who I am is a woman, desperately in love with you and pulling at straws and floundering because I have no idea how to remind you that you love me, too, and that we're worth it."

"You need to leave." Lauren was visibly shaking now, letting her fear overrule what she knew in her heart was the right thing to do. This made Bo a mixture of heartbroken and angry. She knew she probably shouldn't, she knew she needed to stay and fight, but she also knew she did need to leave before she lost her cool and completely failed because she let her temper take control.

So, Bo left the study, leaving Lauren shaking with fear, but not before looking back at her one last time and letting her raw emotions take over before saying "I love you, Lauren" and walking into the worship area. There, she let her despair manifest, as she started to kick over tall candelabras, pull down annoyingly hanging banners, and push over vases full of flowers. When she ran out of those, she moved to the steaming basin in the middle of the room and went to push it over, but when she went to do that, she felt arms wrap around her.

She turned around to punch whoever it was, since she could tell it wasn't Lauren. It was someone taller with enough strength to hold back an angry and heartbroken succubus from destroying her father's worship room.

Instead, her assailant grasped her fist in his hand and smiled down at her as though he understood her pain completely. He was a stranger to her, but Bo instantly knew him.

"Dad?" Bo's eyes widened. He was tall and handsome, and she could see the family resemblance. He had expansive black wings, which he immediately tucked back into his body before they seemingly disappeared completely. Now, he just stood before her a man. "I mean, Samael. My apologies."

"I like the sound of 'dad' better." Samael let go of her hand, knowing that she was relaxed now. She shook herself out and wasn't sure what to even say. He motioned for them to sit on the steps that lead up to the basin, and she obeyed. "Now, daughter, what seems to cause such a reaction?"

"Girl trouble." Bo didn't want her first real conversation with her dad to be about her problems. She just wanted to have a conversation with him in general. He was a spirit who had decided to make himself corporeal at this moment, allowing them to meet for the first time, something Bo had always wanted since she found out she was adopted and especially since she found out who her father was. Looking at him now, she could see why people would be threatened by him. He was naturally charming and good looking and had the power to sway people to his will. Still, she had a hard time imagining him being the man behind the devil stories. "Wait, why are you here? Aren't you…. I have so many things I want to ask. So many things I want to say, but why do I get the feeling you won't let me?"

"Because you're smart and intuitive." He positioned his body to be more open to her, and she mirrored his position.

"Thanks for saving my life, or bringing me back from the dead, or whatever it is you did." Bo felt calmer somehow in his presence, though looking at him, she probably should have been intimidated or scared. The fact that he was just suddenly here with her, out of the blue, should have caused millions of alarms to go off in her, but all she could feel was calm. She thought she would have reacted a lot differently to finally meeting her dad. She thought she would feel more nervous than this.

"Thank your mother. When I went to tell her about you, she offered her life for yours." He seemed so serious and almost sad about this fact. "She was brave, but you have to understand that I can't usually do that. It has to be a voluntary sacrifice. You need to be more careful. Your mother was heading toward her last breath. I admit I tried to convince her not to, but she insisted. She said it was the least she could do. That wife of yours would probably offer her life for yours, too, without a second thought, but I could never do that to you."

"Probably not anymore." Bo looked down at her hands and out across the room, seeing the damage she had caused. She felt like she had lost Lauren forever, that she would never be the same woman who did stupid things like going to the Morrigan for help even knowing she could risk her life, all to help Bo defeat Lilith by requesting Vex as backup.

"Hmm." He looked around the room and to the ceiling, as though he was listening for something. He turned around to her with a knowing smile on his face. "Yes, even now."

"I love her, but this trial is awful. I know I can't ask you for help, this being your place and all, but…this emptiness... I…it's too much almost…"

"You need to know that you can survive even without Lauren's love surrounding you. As much as I know you don't want to think about it, she will be gone one day and you will have to continue ruling without her or ever feeling that connection again." He sighed, pulling her into an embrace. "Your love for this woman and her love for you is the foundation of this entire thing. The reason you're so worthy and ready to rule is because of your love and devotion. Without love, without hope, without a drive to see change for the better, where does that leave the world?"

"I can feel dark urges sometimes. Do I get that from you?" Bo saw her father smirk, an almost charming but not evil smile.

"Don't we all have a little bad in us?" He let her go from his embrace before standing in front of her. She had to look up at him, much like she used to have to look up at Sam Dennis when she was younger. "You're going to screw up, Bo. You're going to do bad things that you think are good. You're going to make people mad. Hell, you've already made an entire group of fae angry at you. Sidebar: your wife? Kind of hot with a bow and arrow and a sword. Plus, I get the whole sexy doctor thing. If you need some funny stories on your mother-in-law, just let me know. I have some good ones that'll get her off your back, if you ever need them." He leaned forward and gave her a high five, which she tentatively but amusedly returned. "One day, in the future, we'll sit down to talk. I promise. Right now, you have a nasty cut on your hand that you may want to get checked out."

"I…" Bo looked down to see the cut on her hand. When she looked up, her father was gone. It was like he was never there aside from her knowledge of him being there. She looked up to see Lauren rushing out of the study. They locked eye contact, and Bo stood up to wave with her seemingly now injured hand. Lauren took purposed strides to her, and Bo stiffened, knowing that resolved face all to well. She was about to get yelled at.

"I love you, and that pisses me off." Lauren's eyes were furrowed, her posture almost acting like she was angry, but Bo could read her energy clearly. She was far from angry at Bo; maybe angry at herself was more accurate. "I love you, okay?"

"I know. I love you, too." Bo swallowed, walking down the steps to stand in front of her wife. "We've established that much. We've also established you aren't willing to take that risk."

"Dammit." Lauren moved to pull her closer, crashing their lips together. Bo didn't even mind the bruised lip she received in the process; that would heal soon enough. It felt so long since Lauren had kissed her, and with such intensity, that Bo melted and finally relaxed in the kiss. Their foreheads remained touching as they tried to catch their breaths. Lauren was the first to back away from their intimate position. "Your hand; it's hurt."

"Of course you would notice that; even in the dark." Bo allowed Lauren to look at it, both probably noticing that it looked like she had gone twelve rounds with an ogre's face. Yet, Bo couldn't remember hurting herself at all.

"Did you do this?" Lauren looked around the room, not really showing any emotion, though Bo could feel from the woman's examination that she was worried. "Not exactly making me confident if this is how you take me rejecting you."

"To be fair, I wasn't mad at you, and I may have overreacted a little when I thought you were lost to me forever." Bo moved her free hand to lightly place against Lauren's collarbone. "When this is all over, we may need to sit down and talk about what happens if one or both of us dies. Samael won't bring me back again, and even if we live long lives together, I still need to be prepared for when you're gone for good. Even more, I need to prepare for Kenzi being gone, and Lauren, I'm going to need you for that. I'm going to need you for a whole lot more."

"We can worry about that when we get back, okay? Right now, you need to heal." Lauren stood back and sighed before closing her eyes and starting to unbutton her shirt. Bo felt her heart instantly skip a beat at the prospect of what Lauren was offering, but she for some reason felt like she couldn't do it. Not like this.

"Lauren, uh…wait." Bo took the step to halt her wife's progress, even if the shirt was already completely unbuttoned and showing Lauren's delicious abdomen. Bo felt her eyes flash blue and closed her eyes. She didn't expect Lauren to cup her cheek and encourage her to open them. "I'm not just a succubus. I don't just want you for healing. I've never wanted you for just that."

"That doesn't change the fact you need to heal now, though. Bo, the longer you let this wound stay open like this, the more likely you are to get infection. This place isn't exactly sterile or clean, so there are no telling how many parasites and infections are living in here." Lauren took a deep breath. Bo noticed the doctor was her wife's main role at the moment; she wanted to get Bo to heal from a medical standpoint. That made her want to cry or punch something again. "At least let me clean and stitch it, though, we really need you at top fighting form right now. Sex would be quicker and more efficient."

"Fine." Bo relented. If this was how she was going to get sex from her wife from now on, then Bo would take anything she could. She couldn't live her life with Lauren without ever touching her again, and she really didn't want to start feeding elsewhere again, either. Everything else paled in comparison, and she was mad that she would forever live with that knowledge. She knew she had to take what she could in the living years. "On one condition."

"What?" Lauren seemed relieved that Bo was accepting her help. Was she afraid of the rejection, as well? Bo had a feeling this was the question on the test that was worth the most points, and she didn't want to bomb completely.

"You said yourself that words don't mean anything." Bo leaned into Lauren's personal space, making sure their bodies were touching as she wrapped her arms around her wife's back. "Then prove that you love me. I will leave you alone, if that's what you want, but for just one night, prove to me that you love me."

"How am I supposed to do that? I'm not a product of love; I wouldn't even know where to begin or even what that even means." Lauren was panicking, and that made Bo happy, as she moved in to kiss behind Lauren's ear before whispering hotly.

"When you heal me, don't just heal me. Make love to me. Let me make love to you." Bo squeezed her, feeling that Lauren was thinking about running. "Let yourself go with me, just for one night."

"If I do this, then you leave me alone to let me do my job?" Lauren leaned back so that they were making eye contact. Again, those eyes said everything that the doctor never could or would.

"If that's what you want." Bo smirked, feeling more nervous than she had been when she lost her virginity. As Lauren nodded and pulled Bo along back to their bedroom, Bo looked back to the steps where she had met her father just moments ago. She looked up to the basin and sent a little prayer to him that this would work.


	34. As Long as One and One is Two

Lauren was fighting the sun in her eyes, but it seemed to be cruel this morning. She allowed herself to wake slowly because then it didn't feel so bad. As she felt the warm body molded into hers, the memories of last night came flooding back, and she had to sigh in contentment. She could honestly say she knew exactly what it felt like to be loved by Bo. The succubus had proven that last night, and Lauren couldn't ignore the fact that they were both glowing. It was the first time she remembered actually making love to the woman, so why did she know why they were both literally glowing from the after effects?

Better yet, why had she denied herself this feeling her entire life?

She already knew Bo was an amazing lover, but Lauren actually did let go last night. She gave everything to Bo and took in return. They were quiet and slow and intense. Their touches seemed to have an added sensation. Their kisses seemed more purposed. Their orgasms seemed more inspired. Bo hadn't just taken chi from her, she had given in return; they had exchanged every movement possible, and when their breaths couldn't capture anymore, they just kept going.

Quiet. Slow. Intense.

Lauren couldn't deny this woman next to her. She loved her, and she wanted to hold onto this feeling, her future with the fae be damned. She could learn to let go of everything she had ever learned and everything she ever knew about the fae and politics. She could learn how to love someone completely and whatever that entailed. After last night, there was no way she could go back to pretending like she didn't care. Even if she only got a few months with Bo, this feeling, this glow was so addictive that Lauren felt like it would be worth it. For a few months, she could experience what love really was all about. She could finally have the one thing that was always missing in her life; the one thing all of her science and research and obedience could never give her.

She felt Bo stir beside her, the morning sun attacking her eyes, too. Lauren smiled at how beautiful Bo was. Her wife. Yes, Bo was her wife. In every sense of the word now. Something about that made her smile even bigger. She could actually feel Bo's own smile before she saw it.

"Mmm…the bond is back." Bo didn't open her eyes, even as she leaned over to kiss Lauren's bare chest. She gasped in response, since her body was still on edge from last night. "There is nothing better than this feeling. You can't deny that."

"No." Lauren realized that Bo would know this fact, though, which made sense why she requested this as her one condition last night when she offered to heal her. Bo must have known, somehow, that Lauren would give into her completely after she had experienced this. She almost wanted to play off like she hadn't just spent the morning making up her mind to be with her wife, but Lauren decided she couldn't be that cruel. "I can't."

"Briann will be up soon. We should probably get up and get dressed. I'll go check that the barrier is down, if you can get Briann ready for the day." Bo extracted herself before Lauren could protest. "I'll call Peggy in a bit and have her transfer us back."

"That was it? The trial was getting me to give into you?" Lauren felt somewhat violated, like this entire seduction and love thing was all a game. She had suspected this the other day, but Bo had made such a logical argument last night. After their talk, Lauren could admit she wanted to believe it.

"No. The trial was about love, and babe, we definitely are in love." Bo came back to the bed, pants pulled on but not buttoned, though her bra was already on. She leaned over until Lauren was falling back on the bed, kissing her as she went. "I love you, Lauren Lewis, and I plan on spending the rest of our lives together reminding you of that constantly."

"Oh, uh…okay?" Lauren watched as Bo had an extra hop in her step, and she had to giggle a little as her wife exited the room. She heard the baby stirring in the makeshift crib, which meant she would probably be awake soon.

Lauren got up slowly, feeling the tingles still numbing her nerves a little. Her hands and jaw had been overworked a lot last night, so she stretched them out and rubbed the sore muscles. She pulled on her clothes, deciding that she would need to find Tamsin to watch Briann while she went for a bath and waited on Bo to get back.

It didn't take long, as the woman came bouncing back into the room. She immediately moved over to kiss Lauren again, who was in the middle of pulling on her shirt. Again, Lauren had to chuckle at her wife's enthusiasm.

"Great news! Barrier is down. I told Tamsin to get her ass up and get herself and Vex ready to go. I also called Peggy. We should be good to go in an hour." Bo bounced over to their suitcases and started throwing things into them. Lauren cringed at seeing items just thrown in bags with no real order or knowledge of what was what. If they were leaving within the hour, that meant she would get to take a shower back home instead of following the long process for a small, short bath here. "You go get your stuff from the study. I'll get this in here."

"Sure." Lauren looked over to see Briann standing up and moving to get out of the crib. The baby squealed in delight upon seeing her, which caused Lauren to panic. "Uh, I'll go do that now. See you in a bit."

As she packed her things up in the study, Lauren was very tempted to take some of the books from the shelves. They would help with some of her work back home. Still, she knew to be respectful, and it's not like she didn't know where they were.

When she got to the main entrance, she saw everyone there, ready to leave. Tamsin and Vex walked out with their portion of the baggage. When they got outside the door and onto the stone stairs outside, they disappeared. That meant they were safe back home already. The anticipation that this would be her in just a few moments made her smile. Bo walked out to put all of their bags outside before coming back in to grab Briann, who just kept staring up at Lauren where she stood next to her.

Lauren had no idea what to say to the little girl. She had a plan not to bond with the child, but Bo seemed adamant that she become involved. Lauren had been doing everything she could, hoping to teach Briann to be ready to deal with the fae world. Even if they were returning home to take the throne, Lauren would have to start looking into ways to preparing Briann for the discrimination she would encounter for being a hybrid. Honestly, Lauren had no idea how to even be a good mother, or where to even start. Bo wanted her in that role apparently, though, but how could Lauren go against everything she had been taught? It was hard enough giving into her feelings for Bo, and no clue what to do with that, either.

"Mom, up?" Briann held her hands up and walked over to Lauren's legs. Still, Lauren looked down at the child, not sure what to do. She didn't have the best examples of maternal love and instincts, but she did know she had to fight her urge to pick up Briann.

"Hey, you coming?" Bo peeked back in the entrance, and Lauren went to hold Briann's hand, walking with her to the archway. Instead of going through, she was bounced back. Bo was standing on the other side, so it was obvious the trial was completed, but Lauren was still trapped. She let go of Briann's hand and let her walk through, too, but the baby couldn't leave, either. "Lauren?"

"I…I can't leave." Lauren held her hand across where the barrier was holding her in and showed Bo the light trickle of energy holding her in. "Briann is stuck, too. You can leave, though; what's that about?"

"I don't know." Bo looked panicked as she tried to enter back in the temple. She fell in with ease, and when she went to walk out again, she had no problem. "There, try again." Lauren sent Briann to her mother, but the baby started crying when she fell on her butt, the energy holding her back from her goal. Lauren understood the feeling. "Let me call Gram."

Was this her punishment for being with Bo? Was she being trapped in here? Was she actually not supposed to go with her to be queen?

"I'm not able to leave, and neither can Briann. Yet, you can. Is it something with the trial? Is it maybe more than just me giving into you?" Lauren looked down at the little girl, realizing it must have something to do with her. "You get to leave because you passed, but I didn't? What about your daughter?"

"My daughter? Lauren, what are you talking about?" Bo hung up the phone, frustrated she wasn't getting an answer. _"Our_ daughter."

"You want her to be our daughter?" Lauren looked down at the little girl. She wouldn't know the first thing to do with a child beyond the clinical and medical things she had studied about children during med school and her pediatrics rounds as a resident. "I'm not sure I can be a mother."

"Love _and_ family." Bo looked past Lauren into the room. She turned around to see Bo staring over at the steaming basin. "Samael came to me last night, right before we had, uh…mommy time." They both looked down at Briann. She was intelligent, but Lauren highly doubted she understood the word sex. Kenzi had said much worse around the baby this trip alone. "Why would my father appear to me for the first time if this didn't have something to do with family, too? I love you. Can you trust me?"

"Sure." Lauren narrowed her eyes, not sure where Bo's logic was going. She met her father? That was a big deal; why would she just be telling her now? To be fair, they had been otherwise occupied and constantly moving this morning. Lauren realized she had to look at a lot of things through a new lens. That included Briann.

"Let's spend the day together. Just the three of us." Bo moved to the side as the first of the worshippers made his way into the temple next to them. "Tonight, I want to see if my father will come back."

"Okay." Lauren knew to allow this. She did trust Bo about that. How bad could it be spending the time with her family? Especially considering Bo wanted Lauren to be a part of Briann's life beyond just the vessel who brought her into the world and nursed her. The entire concept of a succubus wanting a human to raise a child with her still baffled her, and she was still worried she wouldn't know what to do.

But she would try.

* * *

Bo loved when she was able to use her logic to figure things out. Lauren was such a good influence on her, too. She hadn't even realized that Lauren wasn't her Lauren until the barrier kept her from leaving. Bo had been so excited about making love to her wife and feeling Lauren give into her last night that she had failed to see the signs that trial Lauren was still in residence.

The change was subtle as the day passed. After grabbing some fruit for breakfast, they spent the morning and afternoon making lunch, playing games, and reading to Briann. The little girl mostly wanted to sit on Lauren's lap, either proving Bo's theory that Lauren was their daughter's favorite or showing how intuitive Briann really was about what was happening around her.

Lauren was distant and tentative in the beginning of the day, but as they continued doing things, Bo saw the shift. When it was complete and Lauren was herself again, they didn't say anything. They didn't really need to; they just looked at each other and felt it through the bond. Lauren was back, but they were so happy that neither of them wanted the day to end just yet.

Briann loved it, too. Bo watched how happy and innocent their daughter was and how much Lauren loved and was great with her. One of Lauren's biggest fears about starting a family was that she would become her mother: cold and distant and in an unloving marriage only arranged for political purposes. This trial had been a two part exam, apparently, but they had both learned something about themselves. Bo realized she needed to truly experience and cherish what she had and always make sure Lauren felt loved; she knew that would be harder as more obstacles came at them once they returned home. She imagined taking the throne was going to be difficult to establish.

Lauren learned that she wasn't her mother after all. This was huge for them because it seemed to still worry her wife, even with Briann being a one-year-old walking and talking energy ball.

The sun went down, and they had just finished eating dinner, the candle's glow illuminating their faces across the table. Bo just looked at Lauren and couldn't hide her smirk. The woman was breathtakingly beautiful in this light. Any light really, but candles were doing it for Bo. After cleaning up, they went to check that the barrier was down. Their bags were still sitting outside, and they both held their breath until all three of them were out. Bo wanted to clap like an annoying school girl. She wanted to take her family home, and she wanted to celebrate their victory. After experiencing the things they had the past two weeks, Bo actually felt confident and resolved that they were ready to take the throne. She didn't know what happened next, but she knew was ready for it.

They had passed these trials and were better for them. They had their fears realized and learned how to survive if the other couldn't do something.

There was just one more thing to do before they went home.

"Dad?" Bo walked further into the dark room. The worshippers were gone for the day, and she realized they had cleaned up her mess from the night before. It hadn't even crossed her mind that she probably should have done that herself. "Dad?"

"Bo, maybe it was a onetime thing." Lauren was holding Briann, not willing to let her go after losing four days without her. "I imagine it is a rarity to make himself corporeal. I don't want you to get your hopes up; I know how much this means to you."

"Me, as well." Samael appeared at the steps to the basin. It seemed to be his place. Bo actually noticed that it stopped steaming when he was standing there; she didn't see that the night before, but she had been a little preoccupied that he was even there to notice this detail. "Dr. Lewis, I have seen and heard so much about you over the years. My daughter seems to have a one track mind when it comes to you."

"Sir." Lauren bowed her head a little, which made both Bo and her father chuckle a little. He didn't move far from the steps, so Bo ushered her famliy to him. When they reached the steps, he immediately pulled her in for a hug. When she found out her father was apparently Satan, Bo had always imagined him smelling like fire and brimstone. The lavender and oaky musk was not what she was expecting; he actually smelled like a dad, and that made her squeeze a little bit tighter.

"I'm glad you figured out the trial. I was worried that one track mind of yours wouldn't figure out that it was more than just sleeping with your wife." He chuckled again; it was so low and deep that it echoed in the room and was quite infectious. Even Lauren smiled. "I'm pleased to finally meet my granddaughter, as well."

"Would you like to hold her?" Lauren moved Briann to encourage the sleepy child to greet her grandfather. He was a stranger, so she reacted accordingly, much like she did with Angela Lewis the few times they had been around Lauren's mom. "Sweetie, this is your grandfather. Mama Bo's dad. We won't get to see him too much, if ever again. Do you think you can give him a hug for me?"

"Mom." Briann slapped Lauren's cheeks, and she gave the baby the warning glare. She was so maternal that it wasn't funny. How could she even still think she couldn't be?

"She reminds me of you as a baby, Ysabeau. Lively and full of energy." He accepted the little girl in his arms, who decided to just stare at him. He was intimidating and tall, and he would be even moreso to a child as small as Briann, whose only real male figures were Vex and Hale. Dyson would be around more often now, too, so Bo felt good about her having some good male role models. Well, maybe the word "good" was stretching it, but she was going to have men in her life to help guide her to know what a real man should be like and how they should treat a woman with respect, love, and equality. Maybe they should start limiting her interaction with Vex. Bo chuckled as she watched her father's adoration. "I only wish I could have held you more than the minute your mother allowed me before she had to run with you. I knew you would be special. Out of all of my children over all of existence, I should have known the only one who wasn't raised in my world would be the one to make the most difference in it. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Bo felt her chest puff up a bit, even if she had to fight the tears from falling. Lauren moved over and wrapped a loving arm around her waist. She looked up and smiled at her wife. "When can we see you again?"

"Unfortunately, I am a spirit; quite dead still. It took a lot for me to even come here once; my followers have been chanting extra long hours this past week, just so I would be able to come to you while you were here. When I realized you were staying, even after you completed the trial? I couldn't leave you like that. You wanted me to meet your family as much I wanted to meet them." He handed Briann to Bo, who happily accepted the little energy ball. He moved down the stairs to wrap all three of them in a tight hug, his massive arms easily wrapping around them. "You are my family, and I will always watch over you."

"Does this mean we won't see you ever again?" Bo swallowed as she watched her father walk back up the steps. He had promised they would talk one day, and she so desperately wanted to believe him.

"One day, Ysabeau, like I mentioned last night, we will sit down and discuss anything and everything. If you want to talk about your history, we will. If you want to talk hockey, we will. If you want to talk limber doctors, we can. If you need some tips on what actually is pleasurable and won't break bones or send you to the hospital from the _Kama Sutra_, we will." He winked at Lauren before turning his attention back to Bo. "Anything you want, daughter. Anything you need. We will meet again."

"But when? I mean, I'm in my thirties and just now meeting my biological father for the first time. My adopted dad is dead, my adopted mom doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, and my biological mother apparently sacrificed herself to save me. You're my only parent left, and you're technically dead, too." Bo handed Briann to Lauren again and walked up to meet her father. "This shouldn't be possible, but here we are, and you're promising we'll talk again, but how? How can I even know you'll keep your promise?"

"I'm always with you, Bo. I always have been. If you need me, I wasn't kidding, I'm watching you." He chuckled at Lauren, and Bo looked to see her wife's panicked eyes. "Not in your intimate moments, dear. My daughter is so attuned to you in those moments that she thinks of nothing else but being with you. When she is with you, those are the times she needs me the least. It's why I'm proud of her for being more and wanting more. I loved your mother, in my way, but man, she was more than a little bit crazy, even before she _went_ crazy. She was all succubus. I'm glad to know you got your loyalty and compassion from me. Those will be things you will need in the coming years."

"I never thought I'd be allowed to do this, so I'm going to again." Bo wrapped her arms around her father, feeling like the little girl who never got to. Sure, Sam Dennis had hugged her and showed her love growing up, but this was different, even if he was gone when she opened her eyes. She looked down at her wife, who was clutching Briann in her arms. She wanted to say something profound in this moment, but she didn't want to sound stupid. Lauren seemed to understand and held out her hand for Bo to take.

Bo walked back down the steps and fitted her fingers between Lauren's before taking one last look around as she exhaled a long, deep breath. She looked back at Lauren and Briann, and they all seemed to understand that once they left this place, everything was going to change. Still, they couldn't put it off any longer.

It was time to go home.


	35. A Shot in the Dark

Lauren woke up today, not really feeling much different than she had the day before. There was nothing phenomenal to report for the day, and that felt good for a change. They had returned to the farm last week, and Gram had left them alone for awhile. Everybody needed time to recuperate after the trip.

The day after they returned, Lauren got up early with her alarm clock and started getting ready for work. With the final trial's events still fresh in their minds, she understood exactly why Bo was panicking a little at seeing her do this. Still, she knew she couldn't put off her actual work anymore. She did get paid to do a job, and it wasn't like the two week trip was paid vacation. Seeing how well Janelle and her staff handled everything, except one crisis involving an ogre who was using steroids, which Dyson had helped with since he was still staying at the farm, the fae medical lab had stayed in one piece in her absence.

She could admit that made her a bit sad to realize she wasn't as needed as she thought. However, seeing Janelle's face light up and relax when she walked in the door made Lauren feel better that she was at least definitely wanted.

The past week had become a domestic routine again. Lauren would wake up in the morning, Bo would hold her to the bed for some extra snuggles before she could officially start the day, she would get up to ready herself for work, and she would walk in to pick up Briann for some extra snuggles before making them both breakfast. Breakfast was Mama Lauren and Baby Briann time. Lauren would make them breakfast while Briann would sit in her high chair and babble a conversation with her. While they ate, Lauren would read a morning story to her before Bo would hop into the kitchen for official morning kisses so that Lauren could head over to work.

Lauren's day would be filled with catching up on patients and lab work. However, today was slow, so she finally had a chance to unpack her work from the trip. She had chronicled everything throughout the trip, except when she was uber jock at Trick's castle, so she poured over what she had. When she got to her notes she had been working on at Samael's, Lauren was actually surprised she didn't remember doing much of the research. Those four days were a little blurry, though she remembered the big events. Then again, she had been uber focused and ignorant of families beyond biology. It only proved to her how much she was much more in this world than just the human doctor. Lauren had fallen into the perfect balance with Bo.

What surprised her was that she was actually close to knowing why the succubus birthing process was so risky. If they had stayed one more day, would she have discovered the answer to something she couldn't figure out here? Did she have to be a robot, incapable of allowing herself to love just so she could learn how to have more kids with Bo? The last note she had apparently made, other than a random doodle with Bo's name inside a heart, which was no doubt her final thought before going after her wife that night, was about asking Trick about Bo's family tree when they returned.

It seemed like a strange request, since it was something she already knew about. Bo was her mother's only child, and Aiofe was Trick and Isabeau's only child. The line continued like that. Was that what Lauren discovered? Only one baby per succubus? That seemed hardly fair. Besides, Lauren wasn't a succubus giving birth to a succubus, and it was the humans and fae giving a mystical birth from being impregnated by a succubus that was the problem. Not Bo's family tree. Still, it could warrant more discussion. She needed to go in to give reports to Evony and Lachlan anyways, and Lauren had a feeling Trick would love to see Bo and Briann again. Bo was actually just as eager about visiting her grandfather.

Gram had no real answers to give about what happened and was playing it close to her chest, even when Bo tried to act intimidating by demanding the answers from the woman. There apparently were no answers she could give, though. They had ventured into new territory and made fae history. The only thing Gram would say is that Bo would be initiated as queen, and once that happened, fae everywhere would recognize her power and throne. Both of them were still trying to avoid talking about and dealing with everything that happened on this past trip. They wanted a break before the craziness returned. Another trip was the last thing on their minds for a long, long time. Their family vacations for the next few years were going to be to the fae cabin on Gram's property.

If Gram wasn't any help, Trick was even less about giving actual answers. How were they supposed to deal with the trials and the reality of passing them if nobody knew what to tell them?

This time, they couldn't blame it on family secrets or cryptic fae rules. No, this time was because they had chartered new territory. They were flying blind. Trick and Gram knew about the things necessary to take the throne, but they didn't know what happened after. Nobody did.

That was going to be up to them to decide.

Lauren watched as Kenzi played Ring Around the Rosey with Briann and Alexie. There weren't many fae in the Dal today, but she smiled when Tamsin walked in and waved at her, big smile in return. Bo was still a little jealous of Lauren's affection for the other woman, but the succubus had realized there was no competition there. The Valkyrie came to order a beer at the bar and say hi before winking as she made her way over to play billiards by herself. Lauren knew she had needed more friends outside the circle, but she never really paid much attention that Tamsin needed her friendship just as much. No wonder neither of them wanted to ever do anything about their attraction toward the other. It felt good to have another strong warrior fae protecting her and her family. Tamsin had more than proven herself this trip; even Bo had admitted that.

Bo had a young fae come up to talk to her. He seemed nervous, but they both discovered it was because he needed help. Being ever the good Samaritan, Bo followed him out of the Dal with a promise to call Vex for backup and to return soon. It was just another case, and it was good to see her wife back in action.

Nobody seemed to be treating them any differently so far, and Lauren wanted to relish in that for a little bit longer. They may have passed the trials, but Bo still had to accept the throne in that initiation thing Gram mentioned. Trick explained it a little better, and Lauren didn't like the part where Bo had to be alone off the grid for 24 hours. They worried it was another trial, but Trick had actually calmed their fears. It was just a reflection period, where Bo had to meditate and relax and decide everything she wanted to accomplish because when she returned, the fae world would change according to her wishes.

Lauren was actually proud at how mature and excited Bo seemed about changing the laws. Nobody had changed them for millennia, since Trick split the fae into two clans.

Since Bo would be gone on the case for who knew how long, Lauren turned back around fully in the stool, deciding now was a good time to get answers about her research.

"Trick, do you have a minute?" Lauren could hear the two kids and Kenzi laughing behind her, and she couldn't hide her smile. Trick seemed to know what her grin was about and smiled, too.

"For you, I always have more than a minute." Trick moved over to stand directly across from her, hands on the bartop between them to physically show she had his full attention. "What's on your mind, kiddo?"

"Oh." Lauren didn't mean to be so taken aback from the sentiment, but it was strange coming from him when it was directed at her. Nobody, not even Grumps, had called her "kiddo" before, and she found she kind of liked it. "I just had some questions about Bo's family line, particularly children. I'm trying to figure out how I survived Briann's birth and if it's possible to do it again."

"I wondered how long it would take you to ask me." Trick seemed like he had been preparing for this moment for a long time. It felt strange all of a sudden, now that Lauren realized she was actually going to ask about childbirth, which could only happen if sex was involved. She felt her entire body flush; she could be scientific about this usually, but Trick somewhat intimidated her whenever talking about her sex life with his granddaugher was involved. It wasn't something she ever thought she would need to do; talk about sex with her grandmother and her wife's grandfather so much. Such is the life of being married to a succubus, though. "Is this your not-so-subtle way of telling me you're pregnant again?"

"What?" Lauren wondered why he would automatically assume that she would only want answers if they were immediately required. "I'm not. At least, I don't think I am. Recent events being what they were and being surrounded by all that mystical force, anything is possible, but as of now, no. I'm not pregnant."

"Bo hasn't talked much about the trials. Neither has anybody else. I just know what Maggie has told me. The final trial, at Samael's? I assumed you were pregnant, which is how you passed the test." Trick sighed, almost like a relief more than anything. It wouldn't have been that bad if they were expecting again; they did want more kids. They had discussed as much, but they weren't ready yet. They had too much on their plate right now to worry about bringing another child into the world. Once they settled into this queen thing, they would have a more serious discussion and start planning then. "My apologies for assuming."

"I know the final trial was about love and family. I think we passed because we were just that: a loving family. It's one thing Bo has always wanted, but I was always afraid I couldn't give, and she proved to everyone that we are." Lauren smiled at Trick. He may have been the reason they might have never had a family, but she could recognize now why he did what he did. She and Bo hadn't been together that long, and even though Trick had insider knowledge about their destinies being intertwined, he acted like a loving grandfather who wanted to help his granddaughter. He had no way of knowing what the repercussions of his actions would be, and Lauren had to admit the consequences actually helped them not to make rash decisions before they were actually ready for them. Strangely, he had kind of helped them with the only plan they ever made that actually worked like they planned it. "I may not be pregnant now, but this trip made me realize just how much I want to have more children with Bo. I know she wants them, too, but I also know she will never put me in that position unless we know for sure I'll survive. I'm still taking my birth control, and we're still careful, but those aren't guarantees. Neither of us are willing to take a vow of abstinence, so I'm asking if you know anything that could help. I was doing some work on this while under hyper-doctor mode at Samael's, and the last note I made was to ask you about Bo's family tree. Any clue why?"

"You know everything there is to know about Bo's family tree already. One succubus born to one succubus. Samael's line is a little different; he has any number of children floating around out there, and only few people survive the births." Trick let out a deep breath, grabbing his dish towel. "I can't imagine what it must have been like for my daughter. I would actually suggest asking Aoife these questions, but Bo did tell me everything about that. After centuries of her being gone to me, you would think I wouldn't have taken the news of her death as hard as I did."

"Then, you had some hope you would see her again. Now, you know that will never happen again." Lauren looked over at her own daughter playing and laughing and alive. When she was old enough, they would confirm what type of fae she was, so that they could prepare themselves with how to train her early. It was one thing Bo was quite adamant on, and Lauren could only agree. "Another thing I learned on this trip? I'm going to die and leave my family all alone, and that scares me. I'm it for Bo. I want to make sure she's not alone and is surrounded by love after I'm gone, even if it's only ever from our children. Bo will be able to feed, she'll be able to be a succubus, and she'll be doing exactly what people have expected of her this entire time. But Bo is more than that. She always has been, and I hate the thought of her being alone. Family is important to her, and I want to give her as big a one as possible."

"She will never regret marrying you."

"I know that, and I feel the same way, but part of me will still feel guilty and selfish for being the only one who ever gets to experience the depth of her love to that degree." Lauren turned back to the older man, a soft smile on her face. "But that also makes me feel so much more loved."

"Lauren, I think you just answered your own question." Trick smiled at her; that knowing smile that usually drove her nuts but right now was her favorite thing in the world. "Bo isn't just a succubus; she's Samael's daughter, too. She loves with her entire being and isn't defined by her dominant fae identity. The reason why you survived the birth? The reason why you'll always survive when bringing more children into the world?"

"Bo." Lauren actually felt herself both relax and swell with pride. She found the answer, and it was there in front of them the whole time. "It's Bo."

"Not just Bo." Trick smiled at her again, using his eye contact to encourage her to think further. "You were the one who actually survived the birth. You need to give yourself credit."

"I'm human, though."

"No, you're a hybrid. With Hestian and Gaean genes." He dropped his dish towel, though he had never really done anything with it, and just kept smiling at her. "With that combination, and with Bo being different than any succubus in history, your want and your love for Briann is what brought her into this world and what made you want to stick around to see her."

"I remember the hatred; the burning my insides. I can almost feel phantom pains now just thinking about it. I burned Kenzi's hand, and I couldn't get rid of all of her scars because the burns were that deep." Lauren knew the young woman had since given up any thought about the silver lines still adorning her hand unless someone looked or pointed them out, but she still felt guilty for putting them there.. "I felt this intense evil during labor. That evil was Briann's."

"Yes, everyone is capable of evil. You were just expelling hers; it was your Hestian and Gaean genes carrying over to her. Your body knew what to do. Even if you have no real powers, your hybrid energy is overwhelming. It's why fae look so down on mating with humans and creating hybrids. It's why you're able to feed Bo without extra help; you know that much." He picked up the dish towel again. It seemed like something to hide behind, and Lauren picked up her own empty glass for the same reason. "You will survive again and as often as you want."

"Thank you for not being cryptic with me." Lauren looked into her glass, just staring through the thick bottom before taking a deep breath and turning her gaze back to her grandfather-in-law. "I know how hard that is for you, so thank you."

"Don't mention it." Trick looked over at Briann, who was walking over to Lauren. "Just make me more little princesses or princes like this, and I'll never be cryptic again."

"I'm going to hold you to that. You know that, right?" Lauren smirked up at him as she bent down to pick up Briann to sit on her lap. A text message popped up from Bo, stating she would probably be late and that they shouldn't wait around for her but that everything was okay. Vex was with her, and Dyson was on his way to help, too. It felt like order was restored in their lives. So, Lauren and Kenzi decided to stay and visit a little while longer to have dinner with Trick. Lauren made it a point to invite Tamsin, too, since nobody ever showed up to play with her.

After dinner, Tamsin drove them back to the clubhouse, and Kenzi gathered the kids from the car to take them inside to watch a movie before bed.

"Nothing too violent." Lauren handed Kenzi the diaper bag, which the young woman shouldered like a pro. Alexie looked so tired as he stood leaning against his mom's leg. Briann just clutched her Aunt Kenzi, seemingly forgetting she could walk now whenever she had someone willing to hold her.

"Oh, please. We're just watching _House of 1000 Corpses_. Nothing violent about that. The kids are gonna love it." Kenzi smirked, obviously joking. Lauren knew she didn't have to say anything; just give her a look. "Okay, Disney police. Princess and fairy crap it is. I guess we have to start training her how to be a princess now anyways."

"She doesn't have to be a Disney princess, though." Lauren let out an amused sigh. She didn't want her daughter to grow up thinking the only way to be a princess was to wait around for some prince charming to rescue her. Bo and Lauren both would put a stop to that line of thinking fast. Still, what could one movie hurt? Lauren had spent her life ignoring and not believing in fairy tales and happy endings, and here she was living one herself. "_Beauty and the Beast_ should be on the top shelf."

"Ha! Called it." Tamsin smirked at her, too. Lauren had to think for a second what she was talking about, but their conversation in her grandfather's castle came back to her. Kenzi just looked at them, not quite amused but still letting it go. Lauren had never had an inside joke before that was just hers. It felt kind of good.

"O-kay. So, I'll go get the kids settled. Don't stay out here too long; it's supposed to rain." Kenzi maneuvered Briann in her arms, who was already snuggled tight and acting sleepy. Alexie just ran into the clubhouse without waiting any longer.

"Yes, mom." Tamsin crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned against the hood of the car. "We'll be in by curfew."

"You better." Kenzi used her free hand to point her index and middle fingers to her eyes before pointing them back at Tamsin. "I'm watching you."

Kenzi went inside the building, and Lauren went to lean on the hood of the car with the detective, just watching what they could see of the stars here in the city. They weren't out there long, but it felt good to just hang out with a friend. It was something Lauren didn't do much, and she had wanted to check and make sure everything was okay with Tamsin now that they were back from the trip. They really hadn't talked much, and it felt good to be with her again.

They were laughing, so they didn't hear the footsteps behind them until the person was directly there. Tamsin was the first to react, putting her hand on her hip where she could pull her weapon if needed. She tensed even more before Lauren had a chance to register what had happened and turn around for herself.

"Dad?" Sure enough, there was William Lewis, dressed like he had just come from a business meeting or press conference. Then, it dawned on Lauren exactly who he was. He was no longer just her father; he was also the man who tried to have her watched and killed. He was the man who was trying to betray humans and force them all into slavery. She understood why Tamsin went into defense mode now. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm actually not here for you." He looked over at Tamsin, smile on his face. "Though I must say, I never expected you to stoop to filth. It's bad enough you married an unaligned succubus, which is enough blasphemy itself, but to openly cavort with Dark Fae trash? That's not the daughter I raised."

"Lauren, do you want me to escort this man from your property?" Tamsin gripped her weapon and aimed it loosely at him, even if her knife wasn't doing much to carry a threat. Her guns were in the car, since she was off duty. Still, her intense warrior posture was intimidating, even from this distance to her target. "I suggest you move along."

"Oh, feisty." He didn't even flinch, as though having a weapon pointed at his face was an everyday occurrence. Lauren suspected this tough bravado was part of the resistance training. It dawned on her that he had spent a lot of time training her to be like this, too. Her mother had wanted her to train to be Ash material; did that mean her father was training her to join the resistance? "My master sent me since the little nymph couldn't do the job. I should have known better than to send a nymph to monitor you; I should have known she couldn't keep it in her pants around you. Hybrids are an aphrodisiac for fae. They sense you and can't resist conquering you."

"This has nothing to do with Emily." Lauren stepped forward, but there was still a lot of space between them. They still had to raise their voices a little to be heard by the other. There was no close proximity, which was obviously done on purpose.

"I see you still don't know your place. Should I go and get the switch?" He stood his ground, neither defensive or offensive. It was like a casual stroll for him, out in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of the city. He was alone, and there was no press following him. He left himself vulnerable to attack, and Lauren found she didn't trust that.

"I know my place just fine." Lauren did find herself go into defensive mode. She didn't have a weapon, but she knew that if her father attacked her, she would fight back this time. She knew that without a doubt.

"We can't let the succubus complete that ritual. We are so close to getting what we want." He steeled his jaw. It was a look Lauren remembered seeing quite often.

"I can't help you. The trials are already over. We've already accepted the throne." Lauren knew there was more, and she knew her dad and the resistance probably knew that, too. That's when she realized he was scared.

That's when he pulled out the gun faster than Lauren could blink. The shot rang out, and she fell on the ground, dead weight falling on top of her. Her back and head hit the dirt and rocks hard, and she opened her eyes when she noticed nothing hurt but the impact. She looked up to see Tamsin doing her best to hold herself up overtop her. It was an extremely intimate position, but the detective's pained and panicked expression told Lauren everything she needed to know before the woman's strength gave way to the wound.

Lauren made quick work to roll the woman carefully onto her back, assessing the damage. It wasn't a sterile environment, but she had to work fast. Her medical supplies were just inside. She needed them right away, but she couldn't leave the woman. Tamsin's right side had already bled through her shirt. Lauren lifted it to notice the bullet wound's impact was violent and seeping blood in pools. That meant something major was punctured, and Bo wasn't around to help this time. Lauren wiped the blood from her hands to call Kenzi to bring down her med kit. When she confirmed that was happening, she put pressure onto the wound and waited as she called Bo.

There was no answer, so she sent a quick message, though she wasn't sure it would be coherent. Kenzi came running, panicking herself as she tossed the bag on the ground and knelt down beside them.

"I heard a gunshot. I took the kids to the safe room. What else do you need?" Kenzi opened the bag and started pulling out things for her. Lauren grabbed what she needed for now, hoping it would be enough. She could tell Tamsin was about to lose consciousness.

"Grab my phone there." Lauren nodded where she had dropped her phone. "Hold 1 until it dials and tell them to be ready for a trauma bay. Tell them we're on route. Watch the kids, keep trying to get Bo, and I'm taking Tamsin to the compound."

"Are you sure you're going to make it?" Kenzi stood, already working on her duties. "She's Dark."

"That doesn't matter right now." Lauren finished her field work before taking a deep breath to relax herself. Right now, this wasn't her friend. She had to get her patient to the compound as quickly as possible. She was grateful when Kenzi helped hoist Tamsin onto her feet; the detective was doing what she could through the pain and dizziness, as they got her into the back seat of the car. Lauren rushed into the front seat, pulling on her seat belt before slamming the door shut, glad the window was still down. "I'm on route now. Keep trying Bo!"

She drove off, faster than she had ever driven, checking the rearview mirror every five seconds to make sure Tamsin was still breathing. From the pained coughs and hiccups of breath, she knew it wasn't a pleasant breathing, but she was still alive for now.


	36. All Things Must Pass

Bo was pacing the back room at the Dal. She was trying her hardest to follow her wife's request not to go after Mr. Lewis. It was suicide, she knew. No doubt he was hiding behind his political seat and resistance lackeys. He would know Bo would be after him. Maybe that's what he wanted.

It's exactly what Bo wanted to do.

He had come to their home and tried to shoot his own daughter. Tamsin had noticed first, fae instincts and all, and jumped in front of the bullet. Lauren explained that it punctured the woman's lungs and some other organs; she had also lost a lot of blood, and they lost her once on the operating table. Lauren had apparently gone badass on the Light fae in the room when they were going to give up because Tamsin was Dark.

Bo felt pride that her wife would stand up for something so strongly like that. The fact that Tamsin was there at all was bad enough. Fae politics about clans shouldn't have been anybody's concerns when there was a life on the table. Bo decided to be more proactive, taking to heart what Lauren said Mr. Lewis told them before he pulled a weapon. So, she went to see Trick, hoping he would have some answers on exactly how to get this throne acceptance ritual thingy started. The sooner she did it, the sooner the resistance would be annhilated by default. She wasn't stupid, though; even if that resistance was defeated, there was a bigger chance at a much larger and more dangerous resistance once she went to change the fae laws again. Much like Trick had done when he rewrote the laws with his blood.

Lauren was busy taking shifts back and forth with Dyson over who watched Tamsin. Surprisingly, Lauren's old apartment at the compound was still vacant but still furnished, so Lachlan didn't protest when they just moved themselves in for a few hours to get some rest. They just seemed to settle there.

Lauren felt guilty and responsible, so she had barely moved from Tamsin's bedside. It had been four days, and the woman still hadn't woken up from surgery. Lauren refused to let her wake up alone in that place, so she took shifts with Dyson and would only go rest in her apartment for a few hours, making sure to take care of Briann and Bo.

Lachlan never bothered them or visited once. Bo thought that was suspicious, but she figured he was just trying to ignore the situation for political reasons. If he didn't see a Dark fae in his medical facilities, then he could claim ignorance if it came back to bite him in the ass.

Lauren worked out of the Light Fae compound these past few days, too. While there, she was watching over Tamsin, who she had moved into the lab with her so she could monitor the woman, still be there, and still do her work and see patients. She apparently didn't really trust anyone else to take care of her friend.

Lauren had actually called Tamsin her "friend." It wasn't just Tamsin or the detective. She called her "friend." That meant a lot to her wife, Bo could tell. Even with all of the running she had done over the years, Bo understood she didn't make friends because she moved around so much. Lauren stayed rooted in one spot and had no friends. Not until Bo entered the picture, where she got Kenzi by default. That didn't count as much, though, because they were lovers and Kenzi was actually Bo's friend. Then, Nadia entered the picture, but how do you open up to an ex who still has feelings for you but you don't feel the same? Tamsin being in Lauren's life was actually a great thing. Even though there was an intense attraction from both ends, Tamsin was the first friend Lauren had outside Bo's circle who she hadn't been intimate with before, and Bo trusted they would never be intimate.

Tamsin definitely proved she was a good friend, too.

Bo had never been happier that her wife brought the detective into the fold. She definitely earned her stripes, and if she survived this, then Bo was going to try and give her less grief. Anybody who took a bullet for her wife was okay in her book. Bo could learn to overlook the fact that the woman wanted to jump her wife's bones.

So now, she was here at the Dal. She was being proactive. She was working with Trick to send her on this reflection trip thingy as soon as she was confident her family was safe from the resistance and would be for the required 24 hours she would be off grid. She wanted Tamsin, Dyson, Hale, and Vex all ready to protect Lauren and Briann. She wanted Kenzi and Alexie safe, too.

Bo was going to become Queen once and for all and stop dancing around with it.

It was time to decide.

It was time to make a choice.

She was being proactive, and it was scaring the shit out of her. Kenzi had the kids back at the compound, guards surrounding the apartment. Lauren was probably taking a sleeping shift now; maybe even playing with Briann while she was there instead of taking care of her own needs first. That meant Dyson would be with Tamsin. Hale had his crew on extra guard at the farm. Vex stayed with Bo when she wasn't at the compound. Evony had even called, saying she heard about the incident and being helpful in her way by adding intel to watch the Prime Minister's every move. If he took a shit, some weird fae was right there with him, sending back information so they knew exactly where he was at all times.

Bo was glad he was scared. He had extra security detail added, too, proving just how scared he was. He should be scared. He just pissed off the Fae Queen, and he did it in the worst possible way. Whoever was pulling his puppet strings was really going to pay for ordering an assassination on Lauren; twice. To send her own father to do the job made it so much worse.

Bo wanted to do something. She had to do something because nobody was messing with her family again like that.

So, she had to result to pacing in the Dal's back room. Vex had since fallen asleep on the job, but Bo couldn't really scold him for it. He had already put in enough hours and deserved a break. She wasn't going to do anything stupid, and she also knew Lauren had insisted on him being here to make sure that didn't happen. Bo really wanted to tear Mr. Lewis a new one, but she could stay calm. Okay, so calm was the wrong word.

Control.

She was proving her control right now.

She was on high alert, too, which was why she held the knife at the ready when she heard the door open. She relaxed and realized she could use a nap, too. Trick came in, forlorn smile on his face, as he laid down a tray full of tea and cookies for them.

"I thought you could use a break." He chuckled lightly as he poured some tea into an ornate ceramic cup. "Actually, my floors could use a break, too." He handed her a teacup, and she almost didn't want to take it, too afraid of letting down her guard. She relented when she saw her grandfather's worried expression, so she accepted the cup and sat down on the couch next to him. "Lauren, Kenzi, and the kids will be fine. They're safe there. Even with Lauren's position changed, Lachlan will not deny her anything she needs. Nor you, for that matter."

"Yeah, well, you wouldn't know it. He's been MIA. I tried calling him, left several messages, and even interrupted one of his meetings, but I have yet to talk to him. Lauren hasn't even sent a report to him or Evony since we've been back. I'm surprised they've not come banging down our doors like they did last time." Bo recalled how Lauren became so engrossed in her research once, early on in the farm lab's first months, and had not given reports to the two leaders for over a week. Neither of them were fans of that and had came by the farmhouse, thank goodness at separate times, to threaten them all if protocol wasn't followed. Lauren never missed a report since unless it was approved or unless some major crisis existed. Neither Evony nor Lachlan would consider a Dark Fae detective getting shot as high priority crisis. She hadn't given an official report since before they left, and granted she only had one week's worth of work to report, but they would still have been trying to figure out why she didn't send them anything. "I'm actually worried about him, but I know he's there. He keeps telling me to get Lauren to set up an appointment with him, as though that's the pressing issue right now. That's all he'll say before he takes off or hangs up with me."

"Wait, when was the last time Lauren went to see Lachlan?" Trick narrowed his eyes, looking to the side as though thinking about something. He wasn't hiding anything, but he obviously knew something.

"Not since her sister's funeral; well, we saw him there, but we didn't really speak. So, I guess she saw him before that officially." Bo actually had to think about that. They had been so engrossed in their drama the past few months that phone conversations were the only correspondence either of them had with Lachlan or Evony. When Lauren called to make her request for vacation leave, he told her she wouldn't be paid for the two weeks, which was strange enough since he rarely talked money issues, but he had also started his "Lauren needs to come see me right away" diatribe back then.

"He's right. She needs to go see him right away." Now Trick had apparently joined in. "And before you ask, because I know you, she has to go alone, and it's not my place to tell you why. Just know that it has to be done this way or not at all."

"I'm really not in the mood for this, Trick." Bo laid down the teacup and wrapped what she could of her face into her hands, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. She squeezed and took deep, calming breaths.

"This is actually a good thing, Bo. Trust me. Go call Lauren and tell her it's important." Trick placed his hand on Bo's shoulder, trying to comfort her. She had to admit it worked a little. She took another deep breath and moved her hands to her thighs. "I thought she had already gone, from the way you were talking and acting, or I would have said something sooner."

"This better not be some extra work crap. That's the last thing she needs on her right now." Bo pulled her phone from her pocket and flicked her thumb to turn it on. As she was dialing, she looked at Trick when she heard it ringing. "And he better not threaten to punish her, either, or I'll take out all of my stress right now on his testicles."

"Hello?" Lauren sounded exhausted, and Bo gave the evil eye to Trick, knowing her wife had probably just gotten to sleep. Her panicked sleepy tone indicated as much. "Bo? Everything okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm sorry I woke you. I'll leave here soon and come over. I'm sure Kenzi is tired, too. I can take baby duty." Bo knew it was only the afternoon, but they all deserved a nap right now. "How's Briann?"

"She's right here with me; asleep finally." Lauren sighed into the phone; no wonder she was being quiet. "She has an ear infection, so I didn't want Kenzi to have to put her down for a nap. Poor Kenz is already exhausted, and Alexie is keeping her hands full right now enough as it is. He's apparently finally hit the terrible twos. With Bri being the rotten booger she is, we need to really do something huge for Kenz for taking care of her so much."

"Long ass spa weekend where we take care of the kids coming right up." Bo was more than appreciative of her best friend. "Listen, I'll let you get back to sleep, and I'll come over here in a bit, definitely before Briann wakes up. Just, remember how Lachlan has been riding us about getting you to meet with him these past two months?"

"Yeah, I was going to do that while I was here, but I've been so…I got a little sidetracked." Lauren sighed into the phone, her voice muffling, which meant she fell further into the pillow.

"Well, Trick is on me about it now, too. When you get up, why not give his Ashiness a call? I can take over a Tamsin shift for you, if you need." Bo knew Dyson would volunteer to stick around more, too. He was worried about his partner, Bo could tell. There weren't any romantic feelings there, but she could sense a fondness and appreciation for what the woman had done. It was something Bo could definitely understand. "Right now, get some sleep, okay? I'll be there soon."

"Okay." Lauren didn't protest, which proved her exhaustion was winning over her drive and need to be other places and doing other things. They exchanged quiet goodbyes and "I love yous," Bo blushing slightly when Trick looked at her with a teasing smirk on his face. She looked over at a sleeping Vex and decided not to disturb him, either.

"I'm heading back to the compound. Briann has an ear infection, and Lauren finally passed out from exhaustion. Don't worry; she'll go see the Ash." Bo stood, nodding her head toward the snoring Vex. "He won't bother you if he stays?"

"I hate to admit I've kind of gotten used to him anymore." Trick rolled his eyes in amusement, as he stood to grab the tray. "Call me and let me know how it goes, okay?"

"I'm not sure I want to know how it goes." Bo knew it was the truth. Any time Lachlan requested an audience, it was never a good thing. No matter how much Trick seemed to believe the opposite was true.

* * *

Lauren wanted to react, but she didn't know how to yet. She was already overly tired and stressed from monitoring Tamsin. At least Briann's ear infection was clearing up nicely, and Bo was being extra helpful yesterday and today.

Her meeting with Lachlan was scheduled for this morning, before she made her way down to the lab to take over from Dyson, who had probably already left. She had brought the last two months' worth of work and notes with her, expecting to be scolded for not reporting much. She was preparing her already exhausted emotions to be ready for getting into trouble. Lachlan wasn't stupid enough to put her in the dungeon right now, which very well could have happened considering she was using Light resources to harbor a Dark patient.

She wasn't prepared to react to this, though.

Lauren didn't know whether to feel intense relief or anger. Possibly a combination of both? Right now, she was going to focus on the pissed aspect. This went beyond the worst move he could ever make, claiming he had to follow protocol and it was up to her to follow through. He could only request the meeting, but she had to be the one to actually show for it.

That asshole. Ashhole, Kenzi called him.

Lauren was free. She hadn't been enslaved to the Light for the past two months. It explained quite a bit about their interactions lately, but she was focusing on the pissed and allowing that to expel from her body first so she could react accordingly and actually revel in being completely free and what that meant.

Two months, though? She had to waste two extra months believing she was indentured to the Light, all because of protocol. He couldn't tell her this over the phone? Better yet, he couldn't tell her this at Hadley's funeral, considering they were both there and it was the exact reason she was no longer owned by him?

Lauren understood why Bo felt the urge to punch walls sometimes, but she didn't think her hand would survive the compound's structural defense.

She wanted to scream, but she didn't think all of the fae walking around her down these halls would appreciate her outburst. Besides, she was cool and collected Dr. Lauren Lewis. She didn't have outbursts; not even for this. Since she was already on her way to the lab, she could bury her anger in work for now. That would calm her down. She should call Bo and tell her, since it was obvious her wife was worried and sending a lot of those vibes through the bond. She was no doubt even more worried now that Lauren was reacting with such strong anger. Still, Lauren knew that if she saw Bo, she would release her anger completely and go right into despair, and she refused to break down in front of her colleagues.

So, she shot Bo a quick text that everything was okay and not to worry. As an afterthought, knowing her wife too well, she sent another message that she would tell her everything once she calmed down but that it wasn't a bad thing. As another afterthought, she sent another message to tell Bo not to go attack Lachlan. It wasn't really his fault because he did follow the fae laws and procedures regarding these things. The fact that he requested her necklace, which she wasn't even wearing and she let him know exactly why, had been the moment she realized how real this was.

As she walked into the lab doors, the very doors she had walked through for the first time nine years ago, Lauren saw this place with a new lens. Once upon a time, she had thought of this as home, often spending more hours in here than her actual apartment. She rarely came here anymore, but the fact that she came here today, when she got her official release papers made her actual freedom more realistic. It was something Bo had fought so long for, and here it was. In a way, Bo had been the one to bring about this moment, but in the end if was Hadley's hatred and despair that had been her savior. Her death made the deal null and void. Lauren didn't like the way she had to get her freedom; if it meant bringing back her sister, giving her back her old happiness and life, then Lauren would recommit, even if Hadley had been nothing but awful and ungrateful.

Now, though, she had more to worry about than her sister. Lauren felt her anger dissipate and be replaced by concern as she approached Tamsin's bed. As she suspected, Dyson was gone when she got there. He had to get back to work today, but it was obvious he hadn't been gone long. Lauren didn't like Tamsin being alone, even for ten minutes. The beeping from the heart monitor indicated her rate was increased. Lauren came over to check out that things were okay and was relieved to find the familiar signs of someone waking up after their body experienced a traumatic event. Everything was clear and the wound was already healing, but her internal organs would still feel raw.

Lauren moved on instinct to prepare for what would happen next, wanting to give the other woman a complete checkup and put more salve on the wound. Tamsin's body was covered in a few scars, and Lauren didn't want to presume she would want them gone. The Valkyrie was a proud warrior, and she probably was proud of her battle scars. It's why Lauren didn't use her scar reducing cream on anything but the new wound; she made the medical decision not to give the woman a constant reminder of what happened since this wasn't a scar gathered from the battlefield.

Once she was ready for the woman to wake, Lauren knew she just had to wait, so she sat by her bed and read the latest medical journal articles online that she had missed this past month. She was halfway through an interesting article on percutaneous coronary intervention versus coronary-artery bypass grafting when she heard the hard breath and ruffling from the bed. She looked up to notice Tamsin was trying to adjust her eyes to the harsh lighting in the lab. Lauren winced, realizing she had forgotten there was no dimming the lights much in here. There were still people working outside of the privacy curtains, so she couldn't exactly ask them to stop what they were doing or ask them to do it with less light.

Instead, she laid down her tablet on the table and smiled, feeling relief that the woman was finally awake. She was a doctor first, but Lauren could admit she was happy from a friend standpoint, as well. Not to mention the fact that this woman had saved her life.

The fact that the bullet hit not far from where Emily had stabbed Lauren was not lost on her.

She came to sit on the bed next to her friend, hoping that the woman wouldn't be stupid and try to move too much.

"Oh, damn. What was in that bullet?" Tamsin was still trying to adjust her eyes. When she finally had them half open, she looked at Lauren and smiled. "Good to see you up and well, though I'm seriously rethinking saving your ass again if this is what I get for it."

"Thank you." It was all Lauren could think to say. She placed her hand on Tamsin's exposed arm, careful not to disturb the needle sticking from it or the various wires surrounding her. "Thank you."

"Mmm…so…you found me out. I'm the 'Sleeping Beauty' type." Tamsin tried to lift her head but decided better for it as she let it fall back into the pillow. Lauren just smiled at her, glad the woman felt well enough to joke around. "Yet, I sense a distinct lack of kissing, so I'm guessing that was a dream."

"Probably a good thing considering the five day morning breath." Lauren let out a sigh through her smile. It was good to see the woman's deep blue eyes return to the waking world. "How much does it hurt?" Lauren grabbed the stethoscope from around her neck and pulled back Tamsin's robe to check her heart and listen to her lungs. "You're healing perfectly, but your body underwent some shock. Your lungs, stomach, and pancreas were punctured, and the bullet was lodged in your liver. You coded once, but you were only gone for thirty seconds. We had to do extensive surgery to stop the bleeding and repair the damage; you lost quite a bit of blood, but I managed to get you here in time."

"Where is here exactly?" Tamsin barely moved her head as she noticed the makeshift hospital room.

"The Light Fae compound." Lauren felt her smile falter as she moved to start checking some more vitals. She could do a better workup on her healing now that she could get physical and verbal reactions from her patient. "Before you panic, they know you're here, and nobody is going to bother you."

"Did you say I was out for five days?" Tamsin tried to sit up, and Lauren knew the woman would be stubborn about it so she compromised and helped her make the bed sit upright more where she was still keeping pressure off from her wounds and bandages. "That's some intense beauty sleep. I better look 50 years younger when I look in the mirror."

"I can have someone help get you bathed after this, but unfortunately, I'm keeping you on the feeding tube and colostomy bag for another day or two so I can better monitor your healing." Lauren went about finishing her checkup, and she noticed the woman stiffening her jaw and fighting back tears when she would touch certain spots. She was trying not to act weak.

"Well, there goes that hot date I had with Channing Tatum." Tamsin's voice was coming back to her, and she was starting to sound more like herself instead of a woman who had been in a mini coma for the past five days. "Though, waking up with you watching over me might have made up for that a little."

"Flirting with your doctor doesn't get you very far in here." Lauren made some notes on her chart before putting it back on the end of the table. Since she was finished, she came to sit in the spot beside Tamsin on the bed again, gripping their hands together. "Seriously? Thank you."

"What happened with your father? I imagine Bo has his head on a stick in your front yard about now." Tamsin seemed amused by this, and there was a look in her eye that indicated if Bo didn't do it, she would be doing it as soon as she was able. Lauren closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt the exhaustion in her body hit her again. "Hey, you okay?"

"You just woke up from a five day coma recovering after major trauma surgery, and you're asking me if _I'm _okay?" Lauren took in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before finally expelling the air. "What my father said about you being trash couldn't be further from the truth."

"He probably sees me that way. Hell, most fae see me that way, even the Dark. Even Dyson at first. It's who I am; no sense in denying it." Tamsin squeezed their hands. She was obviously fighting through her pain, and Lauren stood to grab her some extra pain medication. "I've never felt what you have with Bo. I'm not really capable of it. I've tried, but it never works out. Like I said before, we could have been mildly happy pre-Bo, but I don't trust anyone. It makes my job harder. Between the two of us, we would have imploded more than anything in our relationship. I guess you can say I'm the bad seed in my family. I want more and try to rebel, and I keep getting punished and thrown in the gutter for it."

"Tamsin, you need to rest."

"I've been resting for five days. I can stay awake for a while."

"You don't have to tell me this, and I don't want you to become distant once you do." Lauren knew that was what she would have done. Hell, it is what she did on numerous occasions. She had done it in all three of her relationships at some point. At least Bo was stubborn enough to fight through it until she was comfortable with this new emotional response way of life. Lauren highly doubted Tamsin was thinking clearly right now, and she didn't want to lose her friend if she didn't give her an out right now.

"It's not that big a story, really. I've always been the ultimate definition of a Valkyrie. I just don't take shit, and that makes people uncomfortable. So, I question authority one too many times and get thrown in prison down in South America." Tamsin didn't even seem like she wanted to apologize for anything, but Lauren couldn't imagine the woman doing something bad enough to be imprisoned. "I was there for twenty years until one day, the Morrigan calls me up for a special assignment. I'm supposed to take care of an important client, and I'm the only one badass enough to do it. She puts me on some weird cop thing with Dyson, and I'm there to keep watch on Bo as much as possible, except it turns out…we don't like each other. Makes my job difficult. Then, I meet you, and it all makes sense: why Bo and I never got along; why Bo fights the way she does; why she's so frustrating. It's because she knows she has something so big in her life to fight for. Being around you and Bo these past few months, I get that. It makes me proud that I fought for my freedom all those years ago, and it makes me proud to fight and protect you now. So, if someone shoots at you, I'm going to jump every time. End of story. Okay?"

"Okay." Lauren closed her eyes and let the story sink in. Without saying the words, Tamsin declared her loyalty to them. That was something a Valkyrie wasn't supposed to do; they were always supposed to remain impartial because it could be their friends they had to face or take with them on the battlefield. It's why she wasn't saying the words directly. "I'm going to get the nurses in here to help bathe you. I'll be by to check on you every so often. I know Dyson is dying to know you're okay, so you may see him appear before I check on you next. Is that okay?"

"Eh, send in wolfboy. He can't do any damage." Tamsin went to laugh but ended up coughing and heaving from the pain instead. Lauren checked the pain dispenser monitor and upped the dosage a little before standing up next to the bed, still staring down at her friend. For some reason, Lauren looked at this woman with a newfound respect. She no longer felt an intense attraction to the woman; somehow, it had shifted into an intense respect and admiration. Without dwelling too much, Lauren leaned over slowly and kissed Tamsin lightly on the lips, ignoring the bad smells and focusing instead on conveying her emotions through a simple touch of lips. When she pulled back, Lauren chuckled at Tamsin's closed eyes and still puckered lips, which turned into a huge grin. "Well, I know that if I don't heal, I can die a happy woman now."

"If you need anything, call me. Your phone is beside your bed, fully loaded and ready to go." Lauren smoothed back greasy blonde locks from the woman's face, letting out a deep breath. "You're going to be better in a few days, but you'll need to take it easy and listen to doctor's orders, okay?"

"If the succubus doesn't kill me first." Tamsin still only smirked. They both knew the kiss didn't mean anything other than conveying that they had found a place together finally. Bo would know that, too. There was no need to hide it from her. She would probably be pissed for a few minutes but would realize how much easier it would be for them all to move on from the unnecessary jealousies and focus on the more important things. Lauren double checked that Tamsin didn't need anything before she left the nurses to their job.

It was time to go and celebrate her official freedom with her wife.


	37. So Free for the Moment

Bo could admit she spent the morning pacing and wearing a hole in the apartment's floor because she was beyond worried about her wife. Since Lauren left for her meeting with Lachlan, Bo had been extra nervous, especially when she sensed Lauren's reactions while in the meeting and after. Briann picked up on it, too, as she seemed to be on her best behavior and rarely demanded much attention, keeping herself occupied with various toys and not straying far from her designated play spot for the day. Still, Bo kept her mind occupied by focusing on Alexie and Briann, letting Kenzi sleep in for the day.

After the messages from Lauren, Bo was even more anxious. If something made Lauren that angry, Bo wasn't sure she believed that it was anywhere near a good thing. Lauren said it wasn't a bad thing; that didn't mean it was automatically a good thing.

Briann was upstairs napping in her pack and play, and Kenzi finally woke up to help give Alexie a bath. He was so big now; he was having full blown conversations with her and getting frustrated that Briann wasn't talking back to him in complete sentences. She could definitely see how smart this little man had become, and she thought back to all of the attention Lauren gave him over the past two and a half years, or however old he was now. Bo felt guilty that she had stopped keeping track. When had she actually done that? Better yet, when had her little nephew actually grown up so much without her being aware?

"Hey, Bo. I'm sure everything is fine. She would have called if it wasn't." Kenzi looked as Alexie splashed around the tub like he was a fish struggling for water. He was such a strange kid with an insane imagination. Bo loved it and couldn't help but smile at him.

"BoBo! Look! Dead fish walking." He apparently also had no idea what his mother's references even meant. Normally, they would be giving him a bath around bedtime, but he had decided that the spaghetti Bo made for lunch seemed like a better outfit and hat than actual food. Briann actually had less food on her face, and she missed her mouth more than not.

"Alexie, geez, you little turd." Kenzi narrowed her eyes, trying to act annoyed but not doing a good job of hiding her amusement. She went back to handing him the soap, which made him pout and narrow his eyes for real. "You're turning into a raisin. Time to finish so we can go take a nap."

"Didn't you just get up?" Bo smirked. She had to admit this was distracting her.

"Don't judge me. My body isn't equipped to handle my rambunctious son and your freakishly energetic daughter all of the time. Even Mama needs a nap sometimes." Kenzi rolled her eyes when she noticed Alexie would rather play with his boats they had brought with them. She picked up the washcloth and started cleaning him herself. "Your little princess better love dirt and gross just as much as this one does. It's only fair you get to experience this completely."

"I've cleaned up enough vomit and…gross…thank you very much. From both of our kids." Bo picked up one of the boats and made like she was going to crash into Alexie's. He just giggled and wiggled, which made Kenzi's job that much harder. Bo could only smile bigger.

"And you want more of these little monsters, too." Kenzi maneuvered herself to the side of the tub, so she could control Alexie's movements more. Bo stopped playing with him until her best friend had him clean. "Did Lauren find anything else out about that whole fiery birth thing?"

"She was working on it at my dad's, like I mentioned, but she's not really said anything more." Upon mention of the birth, Bo immediately noticed Kenzi's scars again. She seemed to know, too, and pulled the drain in the bathtub before moving her hand away from view. "If she does figure this out, if there's a 100% survival rate, then I'm going to be there for the next one."

"Sure you won't pass out again, succuwuss?" Kenzi smirked, and they both saw Alexie stopping the drain. "Hey! Time to get out, buddy. Raisins, remember?"

"You're not nice. I wanna sleep with BoBo." He pouted and crossed his arms, but at least he had since given up the squeals of anger. It was the only thing that ever woke up Briann. The baby could sleep through hordes of armed attacks, but she couldn't stand Alexie's screams. Bo had to admit they were piercing.

"Tough luck, little man." Kenzi didn't seem surprised when he crawled out of the tub before Bo had a chance to hand him the towel. Instead, he came and clung to Bo's legs, still soaking wet and completely soaking her jeans. "Aunt L is coming home soon to talk to BoBo, so we're going to go take our N-A-P for the day."

"Aunt L?" He started bouncing in excitement then, which only caused more of Bo to get wet from his long curly blonde hair flicking water all over the place. He really needed a haircut, but he was so darn cute with his long curly locks. "She can read me a story."

"Maybe tonight at bedtime? Maybe BoBo can use her special brand of Aunt L coercion to talk that into happening." Kenzi took the towel from Bo and picked up her son, drying him off the best she could and getting her own shirt soaked in the process.

"Like he knows what coercion means, Kenz." Bo smirked and felt herself tense when she heard the door downstairs open and shut. She could sense Lauren coming, but she didn't know she was that close. "Anyways, Aunt L is back, so I'm going to go talk to her. You sleep with your Mama, and we can have naptime later this week, okay?"

"No baby?" He narrowed his eyes, looking at her like it was a trap. He was definitely Kenzi's kid, always thinking there was an ulterior motive.

"Just us; I promise." She moved over to kiss his still damp head before leaving Kenzi to comb out that wild mess.

"Good." He smiled before wrapping his arms around Kenzi's neck. They had been a little preoccupied lately, and Bo did miss her nephew time. Plus, she owed Kenzi so much for taking care of Briann like she did. Without asking, Kenzi had become the official babysitter. It wasn't a role either of them probably ever envisioned Kenzi playing, but here she was, the first one to have a kid and the stay at home mom. Granted, she helped out Gram a lot with the business and technical aspects at the farm, but she actually proudly told people she was a stay-at-home mom.

"Bo? You up here?" Lauren didn't really yell so much as call up the stairs. She must have known Briann was down already; usually, Alexie would be, too.

"We'll just be upstairs. If you need anything, come get me, okay?" Kenzi laid a supporting hand on Bo's upper arm. Bo just nodded before exiting the bathroom, ready to face this next battle, whatever it was. She walked downstairs to find Lauren pulling work from her briefcase and placing it on her old desk. Bo snuck up behind her and wrapped her arms around her wife from behind. Lauren didn't tense; she only relaxed and smiled at her from the side.

"You don't look like you've been in a dungeon, so that's a good start." Bo kissed Lauren's shoulder before loosening the embrace and going to lean against the back of the couch. Lauren turned around to face her, leaning against the table. She was smiling, which was odd considering the range of emotions inside her right now.

"I have two things to tell you, and I'm going to start by saying Tamsin is awake, she's okay, and I kissed her." Lauren did tense then, and Bo didn't even have time to react. "I'm telling you that first because it wasn't what you think. It was just a thank you, and it gave us a chance to move on to a better friendship."

"Still, you kissed her?" Bo did get a chance to react then. It was one of the things she was afraid of but never thought would actually happen. At least not from Lauren. _"You_ kissed her."

"Yes. Hear me out." Lauren moved forward, but Bo felt her anger and jealousy and heart break bombard her all at once. So much for being worried. "I didn't kiss her because I want her. It'll never happen again, and we both know it. It was just a thank you among friends. She told me something big and confided in me, and she saved my life. You know I'm not good with expressing my emotions, so I took a page out of your playbook and went with my gut. There was no passion; there were no feelings. It was just a thank you."

"You kissed her." Bo was stuck on that. She wanted to be mad; she wanted to be more than mad. She wanted to go over and punch the other woman for touching her wife. The problem was that it was Lauren who had done the touching. The succubus in her was growling in pain that her mate was with someone else.

"Bo, I kissed her so we could get past this exact thing." Lauren cleared her throat and came to pull Bo's hands in hers. Bo was too overwhelmed by her emotional synapses firing from all ends that she didn't pull away. "We need her in our lives, and I want her there. If we kept letting the attraction fester, you would've snapped one day. I kissed her because in that moment when she woke up, I didn't feel like thank you was enough, and it was all I had to give her."

"Well, I'd say you gave her exactly what she wanted." Bo had to close her eyes, knowing that wasn't entirely fair. She needed to stop and listen to what her wife was saying instead of jumping to conclusions. She trusted Lauren. "Sorry. I'm just…the idea of you kissing another woman just…"

"If anybody gets what you're feeling, it's me, Bo." Lauren took a deep breath and smiled at her. She pulled Bo up and into a tight embrace. "No secrets, babe. That was our deal a long time ago. I never thought I would be the one to need to follow that rule, but I'm glad it'll be the only rule of that caliber I'll need to follow."

"I want to be okay with this. It's only fair that I'm okay with this." Bo bit her lip and closed her eyes, trying to hold back from letting her emotions completely spill. Not that it made a difference if she suppressed her physical reaction, since Lauren was privy to the emotional buffet she had on display right now. "I trust you. If you say this was the right thing, then I have to trust you're right."

"I didn't say it was the right thing; it was just the only thing I could think to do at the moment. Whether it was right or not, it served its purpose. It's over; we can all move on." Lauren loosened her hold finally and seemed to perk up and sparkle all of a sudden. Bo couldn't help but perk up in response. "Okay, so I can't decide, but I think we need to sit down for this next bit of news. There's a reason I opened with that. It would've become lost in the ether for awhile once I told you what happened at my meeting with Lachlan today."

"You said it wasn't bad news." Bo allowed her wife to guide them to the couch. Lauren made sure to sit close but far enough away that they had a full view of the other's face. One of the things Bo loved above all else was watching Lauren's expressions and eyes whenever they talked; it was like she didn't need the bond in those moments. "I'm guessing by the sudden happy that it actually is good news?"

"I'm free, Bo." Lauren stared at her, obviously giving Bo time to register her words. It was a good idea, since it took Bo a few seconds to comprehend. Those words were so out of left field for her, and she had wanted to hear them for so long, that she wanted to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. "I'm free."

"You're…" Bo took a deep breath and let the news wash over her completely. She smiled and relaxed and couldn't help herself. She definitely understood what Lauren was talking about with going with your gut earlier, as she moved the distance left between them and poured all of her emotion through her kiss. She breathed heavy through her nose so she wouldn't have to part lips, but she knew it was inevitable she would have to let go. When she finally released her wife, Bo still stayed closer to her, hands staying on her hips. "What…I mean how did it happen? Is it because of the trials? I didn't think it would officially happen until after that meditation/reflection thing I have to do. There goes my 'suck that, big brother' speech I had planned for when I went in and told him you were free and so was everyone else."

"It was Hadley." Lauren cleared her throat, her face still flushed. "When Hadley killed herself, she broke my contract. My fealty was in exchange for my family's protection, and they just let that one slide. Lachlan even said he suspected she was working with the resistance, and the only reason he didn't take her out or bring her in for questioning was because of the contract."

"That's…" Bo was still trying to register everything, but one thing did come through loud and clear. Her immediate response was anger. "That asshole! That happened two months ago. In all those times he called and kept trying to get you to come in, he could've said something."

"Not really. It was a binding contract that had to be officially released through fae means. He couldn't have told us anything over the phone, or he would have broken protocol." Lauren moved her hands to wrap around Bo's face, rubbing her thumbs along Bo's heated cheeks. "My first reaction was anger, too, Bo, but then I realized there was no need to be angry. I've been free for a while now; this just makes it official."

"No wonder Trick was all adamant about you going, too." Bo finally meeting her father made her want to see her grandfather more often than they did. Trick was her only living relative now; she wanted to cherish that. "I sometimes forget Gram is Dark Fae. She wouldn't have thought to tell us, either."

"Well, she couldn't." Lauren moved Bo's head a little to kiss her forehead.

"About that…." Bo moved back and gripped Lauren's hands in hers, folding them on her lap. "Is that environment really what we want our kids to grow up in? Even taking this throne and changing the world, Gram's not going to change. I'm not saying I don't want her in our lives. The opposite, really; just like I want to see Trick more. What I'm wondering is if it isn't time to start thinking about our own place?"

"You want to leave the farm?" Lauren almost looked panicked at the idea, but it was the sparkle in her eyes that told Bo she wasn't opposed to it.

"I love the farm, and I know Gram is passing it on to you, but…it's a big place, and I know I've never really said much about it, but I'm not comfortable with your crazy family coming in and out all the time like they do. I love you, babe, but your family is too much sometimes. I don't know if I want Briann and our other kids to grow up in that sort of environment."

"We can discuss it more, though I have to say if it's just us, I'm not sure how comfortable I am with a castle. Bo, I love that we're going to do this queen thing together, but I really don't want a place with so much possibility for attack. I don't want the option of piling dead bodies to build a defense barrier." Lauren squeezed their hands together and leaned forward even more. "I don't want a castle. I don't want a mansion like my parents, with all of their rooms and hallways to hide away seemingly unwanted things and people. I don't want a giant farmhouse like Gram's, which might as well be a mansion. If we're going to find our own place, then we need to do it on our terms. We need to plan rooms and size and exactly what we want. I want it to be intimate. I don't want our kids so far away they may as well be in another house completely. Do I want privacy? Yes, because I plan on keeping you and the succubus well fed. Still, I want our family close. We can't do that in a big place."

"You want to build?" Bo was actually surprised. Lauren had grown up with this luxurious lifestyle. To say she wanted something smaller and almost suburban family? Bo felt silly for all of those times she thought she wouldn't be able to give Lauren everything she deserved and wanted. Turns out, if she had actually been listening to her wife, she would have found out Lauren wanted the same things as she did. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Lauren smirked and gasped a little when she saw Bo's eyes flash. Bo didn't even bother apologizing for her intense arousal in this moment. No use hiding it; it was a natural response for her. "About those other kids…"

"Yeah?" Bo felt this intense desire to start going over properties and house plans and decorations right away. She had this little domestic life imagined in her mind, and she looked at Lauren and knew it would be better than she imagined. It made her want to jump in feet first all the more.

"I'm not saying that we should get started right away, but I can and will live through more births, if we decide that's what we want."

"I think we already established we want that." Bo wasn't prepared for the tears she felt fall from her eyes. They snuck in on her, and she pulled Lauren to her, wrapping her arms so tightly around her wife's back that she was afraid to let go. "The moment we got married was so awkward, but I was marrying you completely and didn't care because I was so happy. The day Briann was born, I passed out and missed out on a lot, but I was so happy. But, Lauren? This moment? This very moment, I'm looking at you, and I actually feel _everything."_

"Are you okay?" Lauren pulled back from the embrace, but Bo wouldn't let her hands not be touching her wife.

"I am so okay. No, I am more than okay." Bo leaned forward, moving her hand to cup Lauren's head. "This is the moment when everything I ever wanted and things I never even knew I wanted got together and decided I got to be happy. And I know that saying it out loud, I just jinxed us, but I don't give a damn. I love you, and I love our life and our family, and I love this moment."

"When did Briann go down?" Lauren's energy spiked; she was picking up on the moment, too. No need to waste it.

"We have all the time in the world." Bo moved to maneuver Lauren back on the couch, their bodies molded together as they shared some of the most intense kisses ever. Bo took small amounts of chi, slowly, savoring the taste of her wife. They didn't undress; they didn't even have sex. They just completely connected and enjoyed the moment. Neither of them had anybody to report to anymore. Lauren may have been the one who just got her freedom, but Bo had never felt freer herself.


	38. Lost Because I Wanna Be Lost

Bo looked out the oversized windows, enjoying the view of the city from Evony's office. The woman did know how to enjoy herself; that was for sure. She was surrounded by all sorts of luxuries and pleasures, and Bo had to commend her for taking and keeping what she wanted. Sure, Evony was Dark Fae, but Bo had learned long ago that the woman may act like the tough badass Morrigan, but Evony knew how to enjoy life. Bo had actually started to learn that lesson a little herself.

This past week enjoying her wife was proof enough of that. When Lauren said she was able to have more children, Bo felt that familiar primal passion stirring inside her again. She didn't even realize she had been holding back until then. She wasn't kidding about being in love with that moment. Still, that primal Hestian-like need for family made Bo completely let go and give everything possible. Lauren noticed and finally chuckled after the third night they exhausted each other, stating that Bo was taking the news about her being able to survive another birth quite well, though she did make it a point to remind Bo that she was still on her birth control and they weren't really ready for more kids. That didn't stop Lauren from attacking her the next night, though. Or Bo the next. Or Lauren again the next.

Bo loved that her wife could keep up, even to the point of exhausting _her_ sometimes. Bo, a succubus, was outsexed by a human. Okay, so Lauren had that nifty succubus-bond boost, but it still amazed and baffled Bo every time it happened. This week had been all about passion, though, so the innuendos and constant touching made work difficult for both of them. Kenzi even called them out for being way too obvious in their flirting at the dinner table. They definitely owed Kenzi a weekend trip to the spa.

Trick was the funniest, though. They came back to the clubhouse last night to stay so Bo could come talk to Evony today and Lauren could officially hand back her necklace to Lachlan. For dinner, they met Trick at the Dal, who unfortunately caught them locking lips in the kitchen. Lauren had gone to get the food and Bo had only intended to help her, leaving Trick to spend some great-grandfather time with Briann. She hadn't meant to get turned on by watching Lauren stirring the stew Trick had been preparing all day, but the succubus in her immediately responded to the view of a delicious blonde Betty Crocker. Lauren tried to protest, but they both knew it was for naught. Being scolded by her grandfather for hoisting Lauren up on the prep table, Bo did have enough sense to feel apologetic for not being able to control herself at family dinner.

The best part was when they got back to the clubhouse and put Briann to bed, Lauren decided to put a role playing scenario on the sexy bucket list. She hadn't put many things on there, but apparently, she liked the idea of Bo coming in to "kiss the cook." Role-playing seemed to be a theme for Lauren, and Bo considered breaking out the sexy teacher scenario again. The results of their sexy role-playing meant the clubhouse kitchen was a mess when they woke up on the floor of it this morning.

Bo let out a contented happy sigh, feeling her eyes flash a little at the memory of Lauren in nothing but an apron and mixing batter for muffins. She had meant to multitask by having sexy times while also preparing breakfast for the morning, but the muffin batter never quite made it to the oven. Instead, the bowl was pushed off the island counter when Bo hoisted Lauren up there and tried to climb on top of her. That Lauren left the mess and broken bowl on the floor all night was testament to how much she into it.

Her eyes flashed again, as she turned her attention away from the city view. She walked over to sit on the couch in the Morrigan's office, waiting for the woman to get out of her meeting. At first, Evony had tried to leave her meeting to tend to whatever Bo needed. It was part of the "Evony was her bitch" thing. Bo had insisted she finish her work, though, since it wasn't really pressing business. It was more of a social call. Okay, so Bo knew it was a little more than that, but she wasn't lying about it not being pressing. It's why she didn't mind waiting in here by herself. Besides, it gave her time to actually decide exactly what she wanted to say and how she should say it.

Evony walked in with such strong, confident, and purposed strides. It was easy to see how she had become so powerful over the centuries. Bo actually had to smirk at her, which caused the other woman to roll her eyes in amusement.

"Yes, I know you succubi can't control your sexual urges, but I highly doubt the good doctor isn't fulfilling your needs at home." Evony walked quickly until she was dropping the files she had with her on the desk before coming to sit next to Bo on the couch. When she sat down, she almost looked equal parts amused and annoyed.

"I promise she satisfies me in every way. You have nothing to worry about." Bo chuckled, remembering once upon a time when Evony had the opposite approach to her and tried to seduce her away from Lauren. It was what got her in this mess to begin with, being "owned" by Bo. That was one of the things she wanted to talk about, actually. "I'm sure you know what's coming."

"Of course. I wouldn't be doing my job very well if I didn't." Evony leaned back in the couch, arms casually wrapping around the back and arm to show her opened posture, even when she crossed her legs. It was an intimidating yet sexual positioning, but it was more natural placement than an actual come on. "I assume you're here to take over my position."

"Actually, that is what I wanted to talk you about, but it's not what you think." Bo moved her body around on the couch so that she was fully facing the woman. "I'm still young, new to all of this fae stuff, and I have more enemies than actual friends. I'm not stupid. Me taking this throne is doomed to fail from the beginning, and I know I'm going to need help."

"So you want me to train you?" She relaxed into her position and smirked, her eyes narrowing. "I'm flattered."

"It's more than that." Bo had been giving this some thought this week. Since she couldn't put off what she wanted any longer, Lauren had given her some of her notepads and pens to actually start brainstorming and listing ideas. When they weren't having sex or working or taking care of their family, they would discuss what Bo came up with. This was one thing they both agreed was a good idea. "I may be Queen now, but I'm going to need advisors; a sort of checks and balances. I have very few contacts, and while Lauren can help me with all the knowledge I need about different fae and fae politics, I still need help. We need help."

"You want me to be your advisor?" Her eyes narrowed further, and Bo suspected she didn't trust this. Living this long with this much power, you didn't get there and maintain it by being a sucker.

"Actually, yes. Except, I'm doing away with the Light and Dark. We're just fae now. That doesn't mean I'm stupid about it; I know people are going to resist the changes I'm making, just like I resisted becoming part of your world to begin with." Bo took a deep breath, not entirely sure how she could convince Evony this was a great idea. "I want you to kind of keep doing what you're doing, except without being bias toward your clan. There are no more separated territories or properties, and I'm going to need help controlling that and keeping the peace. I don't want to be a tyrant, and I understand that fae gotta be fae."

"You're saying you're only changing that there are no more clan alliances?"

"I'm changing more than that. I just know change takes time. The more I force it down people's throats, the more likely they are going to resist. I'm saying I'm going to be smart about it, and I'm saying I want your help." Bo leaned back in the couch now, knowing Evony wasn't going to argue. "I also don't want you to help just because you have to; I'm aware that it's probably stupid on my part to let you free, but I'm going to figure out a way to make it where you do this because you want to and not because you have to because I want it."

"Ever the noble suffragist." Evony took a deep breath through her nose before steeling her jaw.

"The only things I'm going to change right away are getting rid of the clan separation and freeing all humans. No more human slaves; they get paid, and they get treated like employees. It's the one thing I'm going to be monitoring closely. If these humans are fed from, they are done so with their permission. We should be smart about our interactions with unknowing humans, too. I'm not saying let us expose the fae. I think the One Rule is actually smart right now. Again, I'm just saying let's be smart about it."

"You are so naïve and grossly overestimate what fae will tolerate. It's the reason the resistance exists still to this day." Evony openly chuckled, though it was more admonishment than amusement. "You want my advice? Let this one go. You're stepping on a lot more toes than you think."

"Again, that's why I need your help."

"Have you asked your big brother?"

"Not yet, but I will." Bo let out a deep breath. She actually had invited Lachlan to dinner tonight. Now that Lauren wasn't owned by him, Bo kind of felt like it was time to start acting like an actual family. She saw Lauren with Maureen and now with Roger, and Bo kind of wanted that. She wanted to know about her other siblings, too, and Lachlan would know all about that. "He may not be well liked, but the fae respect him, and he has millennia worth of contacts throughout the world. You have strong political power and influence. While I may not agree with your methods, I can respect that you get results."

"Speaking of the resistance, I have my men still watching the Prime Minister. When you're ready to eliminate him, just say the word."

"I don't want him dead." Bo could admit she did want him gone, but she knew the complications of that actually happening. The biggest one was personal. "He may be an ass of epic proportion, but he's still Lauren's dad. She may not like him very much right now, but she won't like _me_ very much if I have him killed."

"I'll take the detail off him right away." Evony stood to walk to her desk.

"I didn't say that." Bo stood to follow her. "I don't want him to think it's a good idea to keep messing with me and my family. He's never getting that close to Lauren again. Keep the detail on him. In fact, make it as threatening as possible but not obvious to anyone but him. Is there a way to make his security detail actually our security detail?"

"You're starting to learn." Evony smirked that confident, threatening smirk she always seemed to have when she was pleased. "I'll have it done within the hour." She put the phone back on its cradle before leaning against the desk to give Bo her full attention again. "Would you like me to put a detail on Nadia, as well? I can bring her in, though I gathered enough intel already to know she has no idea about the resistance or her involvement with them."

"Nadia?" Bo had completely forgotten Nadia was ever part of it. Was it because she was the one person mentioned throughout all of this that had been the least threat? Did that make her the most dangerous?

"Why do you think I hired her in the first place? I kept tabs on the woman ever since I did research on Dr. Lewis to get her to join me. It's why I hired you to pull that cursing nail out." Evony had that natural predator posture that Bo knew too well. She narrowed her eyes in response, never liking the reminder that this woman got to be with her wife first. "Just another clueless pawn is what she was. The resistance was her backer and informant; they wanted her to find the fae and Lauren because they believed she was the only one who could get to her. She was the only person Lauren ever loved or let herself be vulnerable with. I thought it was the previous Ash, but he only ever contacted her and cursed her when he suspected the resistance was involved. He was quite protective over Dr. Lewis; that only made me more curious. When you came along with your selfless ideals, I couldn't resist freeing the woman."

"So, Nadia isn't a threat?" Bo was actually kind of relieved. When Nadia first came on the scene, Bo could admit there were times when she wanted her to be a threat so she could eliminate her without Lauren getting mad. As Lauren started becoming friends with her again, Bo had learned to calm her emotions. Besides, what Lauren and Nadia had as friends was nothing as intense jealousy-inducing as what her wife had with Tamsin. Bo was still trying to process and be okay with Lauren kissing the other woman. She knew she would get there; she just needed time.

"Never was really. Just a distraction to keep Dr. Lewis from reaching her full potential or destiny." Evony moved to sit at her desk, swiveling around quickly to keep her attention on Bo. "I'm sure you're well aware by this point that you and this whole royalty thing was what they wanted to avoid. They know that once you officially take the throne, your power increases exponentially; they won't be able to stop you because fae everywhere will sense who you are and actually bow to you. Still, you're right; there will be a new resistance, and maybe they'll be parts of the old one. Their whole foundation crumbles, though, once your power is fully recognized. When you decide to go on your journey, let me know, and we will ensure your family is protected."

"Thank you." Bo stood, knowing when to call a meeting. "It's happening soon; I'll make sure you know."

"As for your request?" Evony looked at her, a genuine smile on her face. It was the strangest thing Bo had ever seen. "I will gladly become your advisor. We can talk terms and have our lawyers draw up contracts."

"Contracts? Right." Bo hadn't even thought about this; of course Evony would want it to be made official and binding. She had a feeling she would be doing this for Lachlan, too. Roger was more a criminal defense lawyer, but maybe he would know somebody that could make sure Evony didn't screw them. Bo knew better than to just trust the woman; she was good at her job, after all, which was screwing artists out of talent and money. She would no doubt try to do the same to Bo if she thought she could. Instead of letting her think that, Bo was going to do everything to make the woman understand she really did mean business now. "I'll sit down with my lawyers and Lauren. We can do that after I get back."

"You really are learning." Evony leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs and letting out a deep breath. "You're not quite the ignorant succubus I found five years ago."

"Yeah, well, I finally found my way and embraced everything I am."

"It looks good on you."

"It strangely feels good." Bo smiled before letting out a harsh sigh and walking to the door. She turned back around when she got to the doorway. "Thank you, Evony. For everything."

Instead of saying anything, not really needing to, they both just nodded before Bo left to meet Lauren at the grocery store. It was something they hadn't done in a long time, grocery shopping as a family, and it used to be one of Bo's favorite parts of the week when they first started living together. Bo would make sure they got to enjoy the little things as a family, even as they were busy ruling the fae world.

* * *

Lauren had taken the day off. It wasn't that she really should have so much as she just wanted to and to prove that she could without any risk of punishment, and she took that task of doing nothing productive very seriously. She could relieve her guilt and enjoy the day since there were no patients or pressing research that needed her immediate attention. So, she had taken the day off because she could.

The problem was that Dr. Lauren Lewis hadn't taken an actual day off just because in a long, long time; actually, she had probably never taken a day off in her life. Sure, there were things to do. She cleaned the clubhouse, prepped dinner, played with and watched her rambunctious daughter, and met Bo at the grocery store. It wasn't that she took a day off from life; she knew that wasn't possible.

Instead, she took a day off to actually enjoy her newfound freedom. What she found was that she had no idea what to do with it.

When Briann was still asleep early this morning and Bo was sprawled across her lap on the bed, Lauren sat up and actually played a game Bo had uploaded on her tablet. One that wasn't a crossword puzzle, like she would normally do. She found the game addicting and annoying. Then, she tried reading a magazine for fun; not a medical journal. Just some old celebrity magazine that dated two years ago that Bo had obviously left here. The point wasn't that she had barely any clue who any of the people were; it was that she could do it without feeling like she was wasting time and energy spent doing unproductive things.

After Bo had left to go talk to Evony, Briann had gone down for a nap. Lauren found herself with more time to do nothing productive. She had finished scrubbing the place and prepping dinner while Bo was still here and watching Briann this morning, so she had to rule out cleaning as an option, though she did go through and check one last time. She wanted the place to be clean; well, as clean as the clubhouse could be.

Even though Lachlan didn't own her anymore, he was still going to be a major backer for her lab. Lauren felt strange being her own boss now. She was where she imagined she would be position wise in the human world by now: a chief of staff and/or research facility. Lauren had just gone about it a much different way and to a greater capacity.

Dinner with Lachlan had been uneventful. That felt the strangest, and she did notice she was still stiff and alert aroud him, even though Lachlan had been polite and relaxed. He even called her "Lauren" instead of "Doctor." He and Bo actually looked and acted like a brother and sister tonight; Lauren had never really paid that much attention because it wasn't necessary for her to do her job. They had a lot of years to make up, and Bo was the one who led the conversation all night. That wasn't uncommon, and Lauren really didn't expect that to change much in their couples dinner dynamics.

Bo did teasingly ask Lachlan when he was going to settle down with a nice girl so they could double date like a real brother and sister duo, which had caused him to narrow his eyes and Lauren to almost choke on her wine. She felt guilty when he revealed he had been fae married, but his wife had died two centuries ago. His only son had been a casualty of World War II, believing he had the power to be a soldier but learning that bombs kill fae just as easily as humans. His two daughters were alive and well, but they rarely spoke to him except on La Shoshain, since they had declared Dark and he was the Light Fae leader. Bo mentioned that she hoped he would be able to reunite with his daughters now that the clans would be dissolved. He only smiled lightly before going back to finishing his wine. He didn't stay long after that.

Bo had taken cleanup duty, since Lauren had been doing it all day, so she went to give Briann a bath and read her a story before bedtime. Bo came in and got the little girl excited again when she was close to going down. Instead of getting mad at her wife for ruining the bedtime routine, Lauren smiled and relented. It was her day off, and she wanted to laugh and smile and have fun with her family. So, they put on some music and danced before Briann tuckered out completely, which didn't last but two songs, and crawled into the bed herself. When she was out cold, Lauren cradled their daughter in her arms and took her downstairs to the bedroom, tucking her into the crib before turning on the monitor and going back to find Bo.

The only light on was from their room upstairs, so it wasn't hard to find her. Lauren rolled her eyes in amusement when she saw Bo had already taken off her clothes and was wrapped in her robe, legs crossed as she sat at the end of the bed. She was obviously trying to find a sexy positioning but kept second guessing herself. Lauren laughed when she walked into the room, leaning against the doorframe as she watched Bo try to decide. This was the succubus in her natural habitat? Lauren found Bo utterly adorable and irresistible in that moment. It was fun, loving, and awkward.

"Think you're getting lucky tonight or something?" Lauren moved to the side of the bed, not able to hide her smile as she removed her earrings and placed them on the nightstand. Bo crawled her way to kneel beside Lauren, wrapping her arms around her back so that Lauren was pulled toward Bo completely. "Didn't you just get lucky last night?"

"I'm lucky every day I'm with you." Bo smiled that doe-eyed smile, obviously not even apologetic for the extra cheesiness factor in her expression and words. "I'm a succubus; you're a succubus's mate. It's only natural that even after four years of being together that we still go at it like rabbits. Considering neither one of my parents were known for their fidelity, I'd say you've achieved quite the historical feat keeping a succubus well fed and sexed."

"You know you're allowed to feed elsewhere as needed. I won't always be there or be available when you need." Lauren let out a deep breath, though her smile and flirtatious expression never faltered. Bo's did, though, as she extracted herself from Lauren's embrace and went to lean against the headboard to sit up in the bed, not able to look her in the eye. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, I just…" Bo let out her own deep breath, but hers was definitely not flirty. She finally made eye contact, and Lauren was hit with the emotions. The energy in the room had somehow completely shifted. "I'm assuming you checked on Tamsin today?"

"Yeah, I called her. She's back at her apartment, and Dyson is keeping watch over her. She was actually pissed at him for being there, but she did eventually cave and let him help her. She's stubborn; like you." Lauren sat down on the side of the bed and removed her shoes, leaving on her socks since the weather was starting to cool, which meant the clubhouse was starting to cool. She turned to see Bo's guarded posture and expression. Concerned, she moved to sit next to her. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I want to kill your father for what he's done to you. That bullet was meant for you. If Tamsin wasn't there…" Bo's eyes started to tear up, and Lauren realized everything had finally caught up with her wife.

"Hey, she _was_ there." Lauren quickly moved to sit beside Bo, pulling her wife into a complete embrace. "I love you, and I'm not going anywhere. We have good people in our corner who also want to protect us. You think I don't want to kill him myself at this point? What if that had been you? Briann had been there with us just minutes before; what if he had hurt her? Bo, babe, I'm angry, too."

"Evony's going to keep detail on him, and she's working on making his security detail actually our people." Bo pulled back, her expression now one of resolve instead of fear or sadness. "He won't ever hurt you again."

"How was your meeting with Evony?" Lauren decided to move on to better things than talking about how awful a man her father really was. He had tried to kill her, and all Lauren could see was the man who she used to admire and long for his attention. Apparently, she had his attention all along, and Lauren finally breathed a sigh of relief that she didn't get much of it. "Did she agree to help?"

"She did, but we have to sit down and come up with official binding contracts." Bo let out a chuckle and smiled again. "I don't suppose Roger knows much about legal contracts?"

"He may be my brother, and he may be great at his job, but would you really want a fae who feeds on injustice and chaos to help you with that?" Lauren had to chuckle a little, too. "I'll ask him if he has someone in his firm we can hire."

"Good." Bo relaxed a bit, though she remained serious. Lauren hadn't even realized they were still loosely wrapped together until Bo went to lean back against the headboard, motioning for Lauren to come snuggle in her arms. "Evony also told me something else. Nadia's not involved much; she has no clue she was even involved. There's this whole big thing with the resistance, the Ash, and the Morrigan. Just, she's okay, and I'm glad that's one less person I have to kill."

"We need to start thinking about who actually is leading this resistance." Lauren wrapped her arm around Bo's torso, feeling her wife's overheated skin through the silky kimono. She blushed and knew the second Bo caught onto her reaction. "I started to wonder if it was Uncle Stephen. He was always super friendly with my dad, and they always took off to meetings after dinners. Then, I remembered he was actually scared of the underfae chickens; he's the reason I have that scar on the back of my leg. Well, Stephen and my aunt running and leaving me to face a coup of angry underfae chickens. In retrospect, maybe they were trying to get rid of me then."

"Your uncle Stephen is a horrible man, and I will be excited to finally sit down and start thinking about housing plans with you because I don't know how many more times I can just 'randomly' find him walking around naked in Gram's house, but I doubt he's smart enough to pull that off." Bo adjusted to lay on her side, prop her head up on her hand, and stare adoringly at Lauren. "Besides, I love that scar. It's your very first fae battle scar."

"He is too young and cowardly to lead an entire underground resistance." Lauren rolled onto her back, staring up at the canopy overhead. She had spent many hours studying this exact view. Now was the first time she could really look at it through a new set of eyes. "I'm really free. I know it happened last week, or two months ago, or whatever, but…today, I actually felt free."

"I remember you being scared when you first moved in here with me. You didn't know how to react. You went from work to being alone in your apartment to all of a sudden sharing space with two people, one of whom you frequently saw naked. I remember telling you then that we had to get you to start thinking about this moment because it was going to happen." Bo sat up next to her, moving her arm across Lauren's body to ensure they were touching. "I'm glad you're not freaking right now."

"Oh, I am; just not as badly as I probably would have once upon a time." Lauren ran her hand along Bo's arm. "I don't say this enough anymore, but…thank you."

"Always." Bo's expression relayed everything; she was absolutely sure and confident. Lauren felt safe and loved. "So, now that you've fully realized your freedom, what would you like to do?"

"I would like to make love to my wife, actually sleep for more than three hours, and wake up, have breakfast with my family, and start working on the future." Lauren swallowed hard, though that was more of a reaction to Bo's suddenly predatory gaze than from nervousness. "Next week, you'll be gone for 24 hours, preparing for everything. Tamsin, Vex, and Dyson will be moving into the farmhouse for a day. Then, we officially become fae rulers. Are you really ready for this?"

"I am." There was no hesitation anymore. Bo wasn't unsure. Lauren wasn't, either. She was prepared to be there with her wife every step of the way, offering any support necessary. "Now, enough business. I believe there was talk of you getting naked? You know that will always be the most pressing matter on my royal agenda."

"One track mind. Your father was definitely right about that." Lauren smiled as Bo slowly unbuttoned and unzipped her pants, pulling them even slower from her body, almost in a teasing manner.

They made love, and Lauren felt herself more relaxed this time than she ever had. Bo was relaxed, too, no longer afraid of getting Lauren pregnant again. They exchanged everything and relished every sensation, every touch, and every kiss. The quiet "I love yous" whispered between soft, long kisses. The feathered yet purposed touches. The intense and meaningful gasps of pleasure and release.

Lauren didn't say this often, though she thought it a lot of times, but it was actually the best sex ever. It was equal parts physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually intense and fulfilling. It's why Lauren didn't mind one bit when Bo completely held her captive in her arms as they both fell asleep.


	39. Oh, Babe, I Hate to Go

Bo stared across the bar at the various liquor bottles behind the counter and the various items adorning Trick's walls. There weren't many people here tonight, so she couldn't really play a people watching game. Really, she was trying to avoid the inevitable because she didn't want to leave her family alone. She knew she had to, but that didn't mean she wanted to.

She and Lauren were sitting on the couch, just being together before Trick and Gram escorted Bo away. Luckily, Bo had convinced them to let her have a few hours with her family before she had to leave. For some reason, she had this illogical feeling she would never see them again. She was scared and didn't think she was making the right choice by jumping into this. After all, Tamsin wasn't at 100% yet, and even though Dyson and Hale and Vex would all do their parts, Bo had the most respect and trust that Tamsin would protect Lauren and Briann more than the others. She knew it was because of her actually taking a bullet for her wife, but it was in the way Lauren mentioned the woman anymore. Somehow, they had grown into this deep friendship, much like Bo had with Kenzi but to a more professional and respectful degree. They weren't going to braid each other's hair, but they would always have each other's backs. That was a friendship Bo could get behind.

Regardless, Bo for some reason trusted Tamsin completely. Her complete trust was hard to come by, but the woman had received it in a short amount of time; she didn't even trust Vex that much, and he'd been her go to guy for years. She had managed to get over the fact that a kiss occurred between Tamsin and her wife and had even brought herself to insist that the woman sleep in the room with Lauren while she was away, though she did make it abundantly clear that the bed was off limits, even when her wife offered. Bo knew she would offer, too, because that's who Lauren was. She didn't like people to feel uncomfortable, and she definitely didn't like when people were overprotective of her to an insane degree like having a Dark Fae Valkyrie detective over for a sleepover.

Bo would only be gone 24 hours. She had to focus on that fact, even if she knew 24 hours was more than enough time for something bad to happen to those she loved. The resistance was calm right now, and Bo was going on this spiritual journey to completely tear apart their cause. Somehow, she knew they would attack. It just made sense. If they had intel about everything that was happening so far, then they would definitely put all they had into a last ditch effort attack before their club was annihilated completely.

Actually, maybe the farm wasn't the right place for them. After all, Lauren was right in her logic about the place being too open and big for an attack. If they survived this, then they would definitely need to sit down and start talking serious schematics instead of just ideas for their house. Gram had even offered up any part of the farm's land for them to build. She called it a belated wedding present; they just had to pick the spot. Bo had no idea how big the farm actually was until Lauren actually pulled up the map and showed her how much land her grandparents bought. It was actually a greedy thing to do, now that Bo thought about it. That thirty minutes it took to get to Lauren's mother's was actually still part of the White's farm. No wonder Gram was always busy with running the damn thing, and Bo was definitely concerned that they were supposed to run it once Gram passed it on to them.

Right now, Bo was trying to focus on just being with Lauren. They had put Briann to bed with Kenzi and Alexie back home before they made their way here to the Dal. It took them an hour to get here, but it felt like Lauren drove slower than usual. They held hands the entire way, even though Lauren rarely did that, always wanting to be prepared for what dangers the road had to offer. When they got here, they ordered drinks, but neither of them really touched them. They vacated to their favorite cozy couch, and Trick allowed them until his early closing to be together.

Bo kept looking at the watch on Lauren's wrist.

"Okay, stop, babe." Lauren pulled back her wrist and removed her watch, tucking it into her left jeans pocket. "Stop worrying about how much time we have left before you need to leave. Just enjoy what time we do have left, okay?"

"You're right." Bo relaxed into the couch, moving her head to stare at her wife. Lauren really had no idea how beautiful she really was; it made her all the more appealing. "When I get back, let's start seriously making plans on the house. I love the idea of a cozy, domestic love nest."

"You want the white picket fence, dogs running in the yard, kids chasing after them?" Lauren pulled her leg up to couch, maneuvering so she was facing Bo and running fingertips through her hair. Lauren's fingers running through her hair had the intended effect, as Bo closed her eyes and enjoyed the sensation. "I think that's what you said to me once."

"As promised, we can name the dog Dyson, Jr." She chuckled and tried to force herself to relax. It was usually easy to do in Lauren's presence, but Bo had so many things running through her mind right now that it was difficult. She really wished Lauren hadn't put up her watch. "This queen thing is making us do a lot of things we wouldn't normally be doing, including finally moving out of the farmhouse."

"Bo, do you really think that we weren't headed that way on our own anyway?" Lauren smiled in return, positioning herself to lean over and give Bo a quick, light kiss, staying in her closer position, their bodies touching more now. "As much as I love my grandmother, neither of us has ever felt comfortable living with her, if we're honest. We just settled there this past year because it was the easy thing to do after Briann was born."

"What about Kenzi?" Bo knew that they needed to grow up eventually. They both had children and families now. Still, the thought of not living with Kenzi scared her, since they were being honest. "I don't want to leave her."

"You're not leaving her, Bo. She's always going to be there, and if she stays with Gram at the farmhouse, then we won't be far from her. You'll still see her everyday. You just won't be under the same roof." Lauren let out a deep breath and smiled, obviously understanding why Bo was scared. "I know it's been you and Kenzi since the beginning. Us moving out doesn't mean it's not still you and Kenzi. She has her own life now, too. She needs to know it's okay to start going out and meeting people. You want her happy, but you know she won't leave your side. Bo, you need to let her know it's okay to do that every once in a while."

"She dumped Nate because of me. She doesn't say it much, but she never really opened up to Alexie's father, either. I just…you're right." Bo sat up, still leaning on the back of the couch. "Do we know anybody to set her up with? I'm tired of waiting around to see if Hale makes a move or vice versa."

"I doubt he ever will, Bo." Lauren was right, yet again. It was starting to get annoyingly charming.

"I want her to come to me and tell me _her_ crazy relationship and sex stories." Bo breathed out a laugh when she saw Lauren's widened eyes. "It's something best friends do, babe. You should try it. I'm sure Tamsin would just love to hear about your sex life."

"We don't have that kind of friendship, Bo." Lauren leaned forward slightly, placing a hand on Bo's thigh. "I don't know anybody quite like you and Kenzi. I was actually worried at how close you were when we first started dating. I mean, when we first really started dating; not when we were together back when we met at the farm."

"I know what you mean."

"I'm just…Kenzi wasn't my biggest fan. You two were together a year before I entered the picture, and she had your trust and love. I'd already screwed up once, and she didn't really like me the first time." Lauren put her elbow on the back of the couch and propped her head up. "I don't know if I ever told you what Kenzi said to me before we started seeing each other again."

"I don't think so, no."

"Before she stole my beer, she told me I was being shitty. I remember the exact word "shitty" because it resonated in me. I already felt bad enough, and she called me on it. She said I didn't fight for you; that I was approaching you the wrong way. She told me that all you saw was that I didn't fight, which meant you thought I didn't think you were worth fighting for." Lauren moved her fingers lazily along where they sat on Bo's thigh. She no doubt knew exactly the soothing effect it was having. It worked, too, because Bo was starting to finally relax. "I think, even then, she knew. Even if she didn't like me, she knew that we were the real deal."

"She didn't exactly have nice things to say about you for a long time after, either." Bo bit her lip, trying to hold in her emotional response right now. They hadn't had sex in a few days, too busy making preparations and too tired when they fell into bed. Bo knew from experience that after marathons and weeklong benders of being fully satisfied, even one day without it was torture for the succubus part of her. Lauren knew that, too, which was probably why she was doing her subtle "in public" moves on her.

"Yeah, but she also allowed me to move in when the time came. If she had said no, you probably wouldn't have let me."

"That's not true."

"Bo."

"Okay, but…I would've argued with her until she caved. I hated the thought of you still being there at the compound; that close to Lachlan and too far from me." Bo knew she was pouting, which did cause Lauren to up the ante and scoot even closer. Anybody could read the subtle seduction practices of Lauren Lewis right now, and Bo couldn't stop her eyes from flashing when Lauren moved her hand a little higher up her thigh. She really needed to buy more leather again; it was harder to feel her wife's touch through thick denim.

"It's the same thing here, babe. Kenzi backed off and supported you, even doing things she didn't like or want because she knew it would make you happy." Lauren moved her head from her hand so she could start playing with Bo's hair again. "It's time you do the same thing for her."

"You know Kenzi adores you now, right?" Bo moved her arm to wrap around the couch, putting their arms in a soft hold and maneuvering them into a subtle embrace without full body contact.

"She just likes me for my cupcakes." Lauren openly laughed. Bo loved to hear and see her wife laugh; it always made her swell with joy. "And for some reason, my bullriding skills."

"We can go to the Red Door and snap a picture of you on the mechanical bull for Kenzi's birthday present."

"Or I'm sure Ferdinand wouldn't mind. He'll do anything for Kenzi."

"I am not hooking up my best friend with an underfae bull, Lauren."

"I didn't say that." Lauren's laughter was definitely contagious. Even Trick and Gram seemed to be smiling at them when they came over. When she saw her grandfather and Lauren's grandmother, Bo's laughter instantly stopped. So did Lauren's.

"Come on, Trick. Just…give me an hour. One more hour." Bo looked down at Lauren's hand still on her thigh, not really realizing how much she wanted sex with her wife until the possibility was being taken away from her now. Somehow, Lauren had turned this conversation into feeling like just another trip to the Dal, and it had worked too well at easing Bo. Now, they had to face reality and the final ritual, and Bo's anxiety levels shot back up. "An hour and some privacy with my wife. You know, for…strength on the journey."

"If you wanted to have sex, you had time." Gram was never shy about bringing up or mentioning her granddaughter's sex life. Lauren and Trick didn't agree with that approach, as they were both avoiding eye contact with everyone and blushing. Lauren had also since removed herself from the closeness and turned, sitting up at attention.

"I just need an hour. One more hour." Bo turned, too, hoping her anxious vulnerability would appeal to someone. She glanced over at Lauren, who seemed almost distracted and distant. Why was she hurt about her response? "I want more than an hour. I just don't want to leave here without being with you before I go."

"You need to go now. Another hour is just another hour the resistance is still in power, which is another hour they have to plan an attack while you are away." Gram stopped for a second, probably reading the tension in this small space right now. Bo hadn't even realized they were the only people left in the Dal. "I understand, dear. I do, believe me, but we have to go."

"Please?" Bo looked up at Trick, feeling like he would cave first. Lauren was being quiet, just sitting there without looking at any of them. Realizing they were treating and talking about her like she wasn't even there, Bo turned to her wife. "Lauren, what are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that you should go. Gram's right. As much as I would love to, uh…" Lauren bit her lip and looked over at the other two people. Her blush made Bo sigh longingly even more. "If you go now, then that means you get back sooner, and the resistance has less time to make a move."

"Thirty minutes? I can be quick." Bo looked over, pleading and trying to bargain with their grandparents. She pulled Lauren's hands in hers before using her eyes to plead with Lauren. "You know I can be quick. We were even quicker right over there once…and there…"

"Wait, what?" Trick's eyes widened, as he followed where Bo was pointing to the bar and pool table.

"Oh, come on, old man. You've met these two." Gram chuckled, and Bo looked over when saw Lauren's blush deepen out of complete embarrassment now. "At least you have a small establishment; imagine living at the farmhouse with them. They have to build a new house because they've run out of places to christen."

"That's not…uh…" Trick looked worse than Lauren right now. "Okay, thirty minutes, but…not on the bar. No more than thirty minutes, and we'll retire to my study. Please be finished when we come back?"

"I promise." Bo knew her grandfather was the easiest to crack. She felt like a kid being promised ice cream on the way home.

"Come on, friend. You can pull out something from your reserves for us to enjoy, and I'll send over a truckload of sanitizer when we get back." Gram placed her hand on Trick's shoulder as they disappeared into the back rooms of the Dal.

Now that they were alone, Bo knew she had to make quick work, so she pounced on Lauren, who responded accordingly but wasn't giving in completely. Bo pulled back, noticing she had already managed to get Lauren's white shirt unbuttoned and positioned them with Bo pushing Lauren into the couch.

"What? What's wrong?" Bo pushed herself up, leaning over her wife, both of them clearly already flushed and ready to go from the intense arousal and sense of urgency surrounding them.

"Nothing." Lauren bit her lip before pulling Bo's face back down to hers. They continued kissing and pushing clothes aside. Bo had her hand inside Lauren's underwear, almost touching her when she heard her whimper. She pulled back again and halted her movements.

"Lauren? What is it?" Bo was already excited to the point where she was having a hard time breathing. "I know something's wrong. Just tell me."

"The logical part of me knows you have to go, but…I don't want you to. This time, it's different. This time, when you come back, everything will have changed, and…I'm afraid what that means for us." Lauren wrapped her arms around Bo's back completely, moving from where they were tucked into the back of her pants. "I'm scared, Bo."

"Me, too, but this is what we have to do. It's who we are." Bo leaned down to place a soft kiss on her wife's lips, more for reassurance than the lust still surrounding them. "I love you, and we're doing this together, okay? I'll be back tomorrow night, and we have the rest of our lives together to figure everything out. We've survived much worse than a day apart. We can do this."

"We only have twenty minutes, and I don't really want our grandparents to catch us in the throes of passion, so…" Lauren bit her lip again, and Bo complied by going right back to their previous quickness. She took chi; she gave it. They were quick and hurried and passionate and needy and scared and intense and happy, and they managed to finish just in time, sweaty and breathing heavy, even as they clung to the other as they righted themselves again. Lauren was buttoning her final two buttons and Bo was pulling on her black polo shirt when Gram and Trick walked back in to greet them.

No words were needed. Bo turned back to Lauren, pulling her in for one last hurried kiss before walking out of the Dal with Gram and Trick, leaving her wife behind.

* * *

Lauren walked into the farmhouse, hearing laughter coming from somewhere. She dropped her keys and jacket and moved to find Tamsin sitting with Kenzi, Dyson, and Vex in the grand living room. Everyone else nodded their greetings, but Tamsin stood to greet her in the doorway. She wasn't expecting the woman until later, but she smiled at her presence.

"Hey, hot stuff. The peanut gallery here has decided to play running commentary to some old horror film. It's awful. You interested?" Tamsin narrowed her eyes, staying tight and cautious. Lauren smiled again, despite her anxiety at the moment. One of the things she and Bo dreaded the most had happened as soon as the woman walked out of the Dal: they had to drop their bond while Bo went on her walkabout. Trick and Gram were taking Bo where she needed to be, but she had to go it alone. They didn't even have time to actually enjoy or savor their hurried passion earlier; when they were still coming down from it, they were ripped apart. "I'm sorry. I should've come and picked you up. You okay?"

"I will be. I just need to stay busy. It's only a day. Neither of us are really this clingy." Lauren knew it felt like more than that, though. Bo was right; they had survived worse. Still, they only had their hope to help them through this one. "How are you feeling? Can I check your vitals?"

"You're really asking me that right now?" Tamsin arched an eyebrow but eventually rolled her eyes when she recognized Lauren wasn't giving up. She really did need something to distract her, and taking care of her friend was a great distraction right now. "I'm fine, Lauren, but if it'll make you feel better, you know I'll never complain when you want to get handsy with me."

"In the bedroom?"

"Oh, if I could only tell you what I'm thinking right now." Tamsin smirked and sent her those flirty eyes. Lauren could admit it helped, as she rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Probably best if you keep that to yourself." Lauren waved back at Kenzi, as the young woman seemed to understand what she was feeling right now. The distinct lack of the Siren did not go unnoticed. "Where's Hale?"

"Patrolling the grounds. You just missed him." Tamsin turned to see where Lauren was watching Kenzi, who had gone back to the movie. "She's fine, too. So are the kids. Everything is okay right now, but we're ready for anything in case that changes. Are you tired? It's late."

"Trick shut down the Dal a few hours earlier than usual. I thought I'd have more time." Lauren took a deep breath before nodding for Tamsin to follow her, though she didn't go immediately to the bedroom. Instead, Lauren went to pull down two tumblers and a bottle of Gram's best scotch.

"You sure drinking is a good idea?" Tamsin crossed her arms, almost like she was scolding Lauren for even having the idea. "We need to be ready for anything. Adding alcohol is not the answer."

"You're right." Lauren smirked at her friend, though she didn't put the glasses or bottle away. Instead, they just walked quietly and slowly back to the bedroom. Lauren laid the glasses on the side table as she flicked on the bedside lamp. She loved this soft lighting. Bo was always so beautiful in this light. Taking another deep breath, she poured some scotch into the two glasses before capping the bottle and bringing the extra drink to Tamsin, who had propped down on the couch and was removing her shoes. They were in for the night and both seemed to know it. "I know you'll protest, but one glass isn't going to hurt. We need it. We're all too tense waiting for an attack that may or may not come, and we need to enjoy our lives instead of wasting it worrying about everything. This is something we have never done, and it's something I have never ever done, so I would like to do it right. I want to enjoy tonight with you."

Tamsin finally took the glass, and Lauren sat down on the settee beside her. "Sure you don't wanna know what I'm thinking right now?"

"I can probably guess." Lauren smirked as she started to sip her scotch, letting herself experience the smooth burn as it covered her entire body. She just watched numbly as Tamsin unbuttoned and removed her dress shirt. She didn't mean to stare, but when Tamsin lifted her side to show the scar there, Lauren snapped out of her daze. "Oh, right. Let me get my bag."

"No rush. We have all night." Tamsin called after her as Lauren disappeared into their big walk in closet. She just stared at the clothes hanging in there, ridiculously organized on her side but haphazard on Bo's. For some reason, Lauren started to cry a little. She felt naked and exposed and vulnerable all at once. She was scared. Having the bond ripped from her, not really knowing what Bo was doing or going through, was harder than she thought now that reality was here. She heard Tamsin walk in, but had no idea she had fallen on the floor through her tears. "Hey, Lauren, it's okay. Like you said, it's just a day. I'm here. The guys are here. Everything'll be fine, and when Bo walks in that door tomorrow night, you'll be happy again, and it'll be like none of this happened."

"I think I'm just tired." Lauren knew she hadn't really slept well the past few days, too nervous about this actual day arriving.

"Get ready for bed. I'll just be in the room if you need me." Tamsin helped Lauren stand, but Lauren could only clutch onto her friend. She didn't know why she felt like this; it was a crippling fear and worry, and it seemed to gradually hit her more as the seconds passed. She clung to Tamsin, almost like she was afraid of letting go. Being honest, Lauren realized she was, so she gripped harder, burying her head deeper into the woman's neck. She smelled nice, like sandalwood, but she didn't smell like Bo. "Hey, Lauren, come on." Tamsin pushed her back but still kept her arms around her. Lauren still gripped her shoulders tightly. "You're Dr. Lauren Lewis; you're the strongest person I've ever met, and I've met some crazy strong people in my life. Please don't cry? I hate it when you cry."

"Let me check your vitals, and then we can go to bed." Lauren steeled her jaw, though she knew her eyes still expressed everything.

"No. That can wait. I wasn't kidding when I said I was fine."

"I wasn't kidding when I said I needed to keep busy."

"It's past midnight, Lauren, and you need to sleep. That'll keep you busy." Tamsin had a point, but Lauren also knew herself well enough to know she wouldn't get much sleep. Still, she agreed, so she started her nightly routine, but she made Tamsin stay with her. She did feel clingy all of a sudden, and her friend seemed okay with her acting out of character. She seemed to understand even when Lauren herself had no clue. She even handed Tamsin one of the extra toothbrushes she kept in the closet and waited until the other woman rolled her eyes and brushed her teeth.

Tamsin stayed in the closet with her as she pulled on her pajama pants and removed her dress shirt, the familiar smells of Bo still lingering on her skin and clothes. She pulled on a tanktop and noticed the other woman trying to look anywhere but at her. In her neediness, Lauren hadn't realized how disrespectful she had been to Tamsin. Even though the kiss had allowed them to move on, the attraction was still there and probably always would be.

They went back into the bedroom and Lauren crawled under the covers, while Tamsin went to make her bed on the floor over by the door. Lauren tried to get her to sleep in the bed; it was big enough that they didn't have to touch, but the woman refused and stayed on the floor.

Lauren tried to sleep; she really did, but all she could do was imagine various scenarios of what Bo was going through right now. Bo was alone. That was what was bothering Lauren; it wasn't that she herself was alone, because she was technically surrounded by family and friends right now in this house, but Bo was alone. Trick and Gram were waiting for her to return from wherever she went, but Bo was alone. Completely alone. Without any warning or idea of what to expect.

Lauren was too busy blankly staring at the canopy, so Tamsin's movements eluded her until she heard the woman shuffling and groaning on the floor.

"Okay, that's it. The succubus can slit my throat." Tamsin stood and moved until she was crawling under the covers. At first, Lauren panicked at what was happening, especially considering the woman was sleeping in nothing but her tanktop and boy shorts underwear. Eventually, Lauren had become frustrated and constricted and had tossed her own sleeping pants to the side of the bed, which meant when Tamsin got under the covers, her smooth legs pressed up against Lauren's. "What? I'm not making a move. I'm making you sleep so I can get some sleep, too."

"Let me put my pants back on." Lauren didn't move, though. She could admit her body was flushed and her elevated heart rate was causing a bit of sweat to form on her brow.

"Just sleep, Lauren. Otherwise, this is the lamest _sleep_over in history." Tamsin did a good job of staying on her side of the bed, though she laid on her side facing Lauren. Her deep blue eyes seemed more intense in the dark. "We're friends, and this is what friends sometimes do."

"Substitute for their friend's wife?" Lauren felt strange having someone else in her bed. In the past ten years, she had slept alone most nights. When she moved in with Bo, Lauren learned that sleeping alone wasn't much of an option anymore, even though it did happen a lot when Bo would go off on trips for work. Still, she could learn to appreciate the gesture, since she really didn't want to be alone right now. Bo kept telling her over the years that leaving Lauren alone in her head was sometimes scary to watch. Tamsin was just offering to keep her out of her head.

"How about just supportive friend?" Tamsin's voice was soft and calm. Lauren didn't realize just how much she really did want to sleep. "Now, how do you want to play this? Big spoon or little spoon?"

Lauren took a second to register that and eventually started to chuckle. Her chuckles turned into a full bodied laugh, which caused Tamsin to laugh lightly in response. When her laughs subsided, Lauren turned on her side to fully face her friend. "Thank you."

"Yeah, don't mention it."

"I didn't mean to laugh. I just…you're all badass. The last thing I associate with you is warm snuggles." Lauren raised her hand and pushed falling locks from Tamsin's face. The woman really was beautiful, and even if she didn't let many people see it, she was kind and loving. "Just being here helps. Thank you."

"Your wife may think differently."

"I can handle Bo. Nothing's happening that she hasn't done with her own best friend several times over the years, even after we were fae married." Lauren realized that Tamsin really was her best friend outside of Bo. She had never really had just a friend before; it felt strange and exciting. Lauren still didn't completely trust her feelings on this, since the woman hadn't technically been in their life very long, but she did give into them. "You're not a substitute for anything, Tamsin, and when all of this is said and done, we should do something not related to people shooting or stabbing us."

"I'd like that." She closed her eyes, which prompted Lauren to do the same. "Good night, Doc."

"Mmm." Lauren relaxed and didn't even realize when her exhaustion finally caused her to give in.


	40. When Will My Reflection Show?

Bo felt like she hadn't slept or eaten in a week, yet she felt stuffed and energized at the same time. It was a strange feeling, and she couldn't decide how this played a factor in her ritual.

When she first reached the desert, Trick and Gram had just told her to start walking. Peggy had transported them somewhere, though it was the first time the travel agent didn't give her snark or make her take a number and wait. That should've been Bo's first clue that something was strange. When she asked which way to go, Trick told her to just start walking and not to worry about coming back. She did, but she kept looking back at them. When they were finally out of view, Bo started to follow their advice, leaving marks in the sand just in case. She walked until she was out of breath and dying of thirst, and she had long given up marking her spots.

That's when she noticed the desert changed around her. She was no longer in the hot, desert sun. She was in a dense forest, surrounded by tall trees and lush greenery and colors. A snake slithered past her foot, and she jumped in response. Her heart rate now elevated, she started running on instinct. It was one of the most beautiful places she had seen, but it scared her for some reason.

She ran until she hit a ledge and almost went over it. Staring out, she noticed a large waterfall covering a large body of water. Bo felt her eyes flash blue upon seeing the various naked forms bathing and frolicking in the water below, so she jumped. She didn't know why she jumped, but she did. When she landed, she was nowhere near that body of water. Instead, she found herself surrounded by bloody corpses, all strewn along a fresh battlefield. She leaned down to one of the bodies, observing the weapons and clothing, but there was nothing to give her any hints of why she was seeing this. She noticed two torches, one seemingly white and the other black, in the distance. Something told her to start walking to them, so she did.

When she walked between them, it was like she had walked through a door back to the waterfall, only this time there were two waterfalls and the naked figures were no longer naked or playing. They were now wearing business suits and scowling at the people on the other side. Bo had a feeling she was supposed to ignore the fact these people were swimming in their business suits, but it was the detail she focused on because it was hilarious to her. She walked back to the ledge and started to climb, believing that she could find the desert again and find her way back home. That ledge never seemed to end, though, and when she turned around to climb down since she obviously wasn't meant to reach her destination, she noticed she was someplace different.

Someplace calm.

Someplace all alone.

It reminded her of that cabin on Gram's farm, except this room was all white walls with no windows or doors. There was a table and chair, a large pillar candle, and various pictures adorning the walls. Bo walked the confines of the small room, examining each picture. It was like they told a story. There were old sketches and paintings. One she recognized as Samael, though she didn't recognize the others. As she moved along the walls, Bo seemed to understand the room _was_ telling her a story. It was her story, or at least, her family's story. She came across old paintings of Trick with his wife, Bo's grandmother Isabeau. In the picture, Aoife stood with them, and they all looked happy. She also noticed pictures of Lauren's family, and she came across a picture of a youthful Gram laughing with a man Bo recognized as Lauren's grandfather. So, it was a story of how her and Lauren's lives eventually blended together to fulfill that destiny.

The old Lewis family portrait was hanging on the wall, and Bo smiled again at how awkwardly adorable Lauren was as a teenager. When she got to the third wall, she saw pictures of her and Lauren, including that half naked one of Lauren that Bo had been scolded for carrying. Bo saw Briann's ultrasound picture and ran her fingers over the little peanut; she had forgotten all about that nickname. Their wedding photo was there; the one Kenzi had insisted on taking before they went in to perform the ritual. There were pictures of them playing with Briann. Pictures of them at Briann's birthday party. Briann's one year old portrait; the one that was Bo's favorite, where Briann was smiling big, her front teeth showing completely, her brown eyes sparkling like Lauren's and her dark curls actually tamed for a change.

Bo felt a swell of pride, and she actually noticed her posture improve as she made her way to the last wall. Except, this wall only had one large empty frame adorning the majority of the wall. There was nothing there, though. Bo walked closer, feeling like if she looked hard enough that she would see something. She was startled when she stared back at herself all of a sudden. The big frame had shifted into a mirror. Bo looked around the room, knowing she was alone but double checking so nobody would put her in the psych ward of Lauren's lab for doing what she was about to do.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Bo couldn't contain her smile, but she noticed her reflection wasn't actually mirroring her actions. Instead, her reflection crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow.

"Really? How original." Mirror Bo obviously had no sense of humor. "We both know who you think is the answer to that question, and we also know she's all kinds of badass and awesome, so 'fairest' in the traditional sense doesn't exactly apply anymore."

"Lauren." They both replied. So, the mirror version of Bo did know what actual Bo was thinking.

"I get to reflect by talking to myself in the mirror?" Bo came to put her hand on the screen, thinking that maybe she would go right through it. Nope, it was solid. Mirror Bo still did not look amused. "That's not exactly original, either."

"It's also useful and something we've done enough over the years, especially before we knew we were fae, so just go with it." Mirror Bo moved to sit in the chair, and Bo felt the same urge to go sit down in her own chair. She picked up a red apple from the bowl of fruit and went to bite into it. "No! Wait! That's poisonous!"

"Seriously?" Bo dropped the apple on instinct, watching it roll across the floor as she stared wide-eyed at her animated reflection. "I get made fun of for the 'mirror, mirror' bit, but there are actual poison apples? Come on, throw me a bone here."

Mirror Bo was laughing, which caused Bo to narrow her eyes. Obviously, it was a joke. "Oh, come on. I'm you; don't act like you don't find that funny or like you wouldn't have done the same exact thing."

"Fine, it was funny." Bo smiled a bit as she picked up the red apple from the ground and placed it on the table. This place was more sterile than Lauren's lab, but Bo still didn't want to eat off of the floor. "So, what now? I'm supposed to reflect or think about what I want to do or whatever. I know that much."

"You're here because you need to accept the things that are changing. You also need to realize the things that will be out of your control." Mirror Bo crossed her legs and picked up an apple and started eating it.

"Why do I feel a sudden urge to run?" Bo sat up in her chair, though she didn't really stand from it. Where would she go and how would she escape even if she tried? "Ah, that's the point. I can't run from this."

"Lauren's a good influence on us. I do believe you're quicker to the draw than you once were." Mirror Bo just kept gnawing on that damned apple. The crunch sound resonated in the room. "So, you can't run. Did you also notice that you didn't even try?"

"I…" Bo looked down where she was still sitting in the chair.

"Yep, you actually want this. You may feel like you should run, but you're not because you know this is the right thing to do." Mirror Bo stood, still chewing that apple, before making her way closer to her end of the mirror. Bo stood to greet her, thinking there was something profound about to happen. When nothing did, she turned around to go sit back down, but the chair was missing. She turned back to Mirror Bo, hoping for some answers. "Hey, it's just a chair. Sitting in it doesn't solve problems."

"So, is the part where I learn that a throne isn't actually a seat? It's what I do with it?" Bo turned around to find the chair back, though it was positioned on top of the table now. "Oh. Trippy."

"No matter where you place your throne, it's still yours."

"So, I'm supposed to, what? Climb up and sit in it?" Bo was already in process of doing that, but when she sat down, the chair split in the middle and she landed hard on her butt on the table, causing the fruit to fly everywhere. She was surprised the table didn't break, too. "What the hell?!"

"A seat can be easily broken." Mirror Bo pointed to the table in her room, where there was a tube of glue sitting. Bo turned around to find it on her table now, too. She picked it up and glued the chair pieces back together, but when she sat down on the now fixed chair, she fell again.

"Seriously!" Bo got up and wanted to toss the chair, but she picked the pieces up and went to glue it again. She waited a little longer this time before trying to sit down. She was careful, as she let her body sit there. She finally relaxed when she realized it wasn't going to break again. "So, a chair can easily be broken, but it can be fixed with a lot of Elmer's wood glue. Great lesson."

"You're missing the point."

"Which is what? Don't sit on a broken chair?" Bo looked over at Mirror Bo, who was not amused. "Okay, uh…I got this." Bo rubbed one hand across her left jaw, looking around and trying to come up with an answer. She looked down at the glue still in her other hand. "Okay, so my throne is only as strong as the glue that holds it together. I have to build a strong seat or whatever. Got it. What's next?"

"What do you want to be next?"

"I want to go home to my wife, to be honest."

"Okay, let's talk about Lauren. She's obviously been on your mind this entire time." Mirror Bo's eyes flashed blue. It had been a long time since Bo had actually seen how deep and bright blue her eyes became when she was aroused or thinking about sex. "Why is that?"

"Because I love her." Bo felt her own eyes flash, closing them and feeling suddenly embarrassed for her reaction.

"Nobody's questioning that. Look who you're talking to."

"Then, okay, I'm worried about what this whole queen thing means for her." Bo stood on the table and hopped down, pulling the chair back to the floor and sitting back down. "She keeps saying she's in it with me, but is she really doing it because she wants this? I'm ready and willing, but is she?"

"Look around you." Mirror Bo pointed to the walls, and Bo obeyed. She noticed the pictures literally come to life and smiled at the moving memories. "You're happy, Bo, and Lauren is loving and attentive and kind. She is fair because she thinks things through before making rash decisions. She's the best part of you sometimes. She's also strong and confident and logical. If she didn't want this, don't you think she would have said something by now? She's with you, and you're going to need her. She's the glue that's going to make your throne stronger."

"But she's going to die one day and leave me to do this alone." Bo stopped looking at the picture, instead staring up into reflected sad eyes.

"It's scary, I know, but she's not going to leave you alone. Why do you think she worked so damn hard to find out about having more children?" Mirror Bo took a deep breath and smiled lovingly. Bo did, too, thinking about how strong and loyal and loving Lauren was. "You match perfectly together, and she's so selfless that she would probably have researched some way to make your fae marriage not hold you back from loving again. Then again, we also know she loves being that only one for you. It makes her feel special and gives her that needed confidence."

"But I love her. I only ever want to love her. When she's gone, I will still only want her." Bo steeled her jaw. This was one thing she had never had to think about; even when Lauren had mentioned why she never told Bo about fae marriage and why she tried to argue against it despite wanting it herself. Sure, she had loved before; she could admit she loved Dyson, but the things she felt for him were nowhere near the intensity and completeness she felt with Lauren. One thing Bo never had was doubt that she loved and wanted Lauren.

"I know."

"Of course you do." Bo rolled her eyes in amusement. Talking to herself in any other capacity would definitely cause Lauren to look at her funny and take her in for testing, but she could admit this was actually helping her process things. It was easier to tell yourself off than have somebody else do it, though Kenzi was great for this, too. "So, she's in this with me, but I need to always make sure to take time to be with her while I can. I learned that lesson during the trials."

"And it bears repeating. Constantly." Mirror Bo finally pulled her own chair from the table and moved to sit down on it again. "You're going to fight and disagree on policies and go for weeks or months of dry spells without sex, but you'll always be endgame. You know that. She knows that. So, make sure you remember that, even when things are rough."

"She's free now, and that feels great. I can tell she's still adjusting, but Lauren's right. She's been free for a while; we just have the documents and lack of fealty to prove it now." Bo took in a deep breath, smelling the crisp air. It smelled like fresh laundry in here, which matched the white box look.

"You're not enslaving her to you."

"I know that." Bo also knew that she had worried about this before, especially when she thought about buying rings the first time they committed completely to one another. Now, though, she knew that wearing jewelry was only a symbol. She played with her own simple band and smiled again before looking up with a renewed resolve, ready to start talking business. "I want all slavery abolished; everybody works and gets paid."

"What about those who have no money to pay their servants? Do you just let them go without?" Mirror Bo was here to help Bo process, and she was going to take advantage of this time to make sure her policies and desires for the new fae world would be solid. "They won't be happy to suddenly having to do things on their own."

"It's time the fae started to learn how to live in this new world. It's not 1850 or 290 BCE anymore. If they want anything, they have to work for it. That includes the humans in this world. They can still go to fae for protection, but they won't be owned."

"There are flaws in your plan, you know. Bad things will still happen."

"I know. I actually stayed awake in my history classes in school." Bo had made a list of the possible things that could go wrong, but she still never wavered. She was going to keep a close eye on this, but she knew she only had two eyes. It was why she needed Evony and Lachlan behind her. "I know not to expect everything will just go smoothly. Changing the world isn't exact."

"Then, you also know that change isn't impossible, and with the right methods and time, you can achieve what you set out to do."

"Lauren will be there with me; to help guide me better. She was raised in that political world, so she understands how all of this works. So do Evony and Lachlan."

"You've established quite the life for yourself for someone who was so lost for years." Mirror Bo stood to walk closer, and Bo followed. They stood there and stared at each other through the reflection. "To think you used to run and hide from who you were."

"Yeah, well, I won't hide anymore. I will live the life I choose." Bo had said this same thing in her head repeatedly over the years, as though she was narrating her life or telling random people on the streets who she was as she passed them. This was the first time she said it out loud, even if it was technically to herself.

"That's my girl."

"So, now what? No more Light or Dark. No more slavery. I'm cool with taking the throne. I can appreciate my wife and understand we're in this together. I'm only as good and sturdy as the throne I build, so…this reflection thing?" Bo moved back over and leaned against the table, watching as Mirror Bo did the same thing. "I know all of these things already. What's the point?"

"That you _do_ know these things, deep down, but you have to be willing to admit them. You have to work at them. Take a minute. Stop and look at yourself in the mirror and understand that your decisions impact everyone now. You have the weight of the world on your shoulders, and it's going to be heavy and just keep getting heavier. So, don't let yourself be overwhelmed. If you do, reflect. You're not alone in this; you never will be."

"I know."

"So remember that." In that second, Mirror Bo seemed to turn completely into just Bo. She waved her hand and watched her actions, letting out a breath when she noticed the image matched. She felt a ping on her chest and looked down to notice something that wasn't there before: a small tattoo above her left breast; above her heart. She walked closer to the mirror and stared at it. The mark reminded her of all of the banners hanging along the walls of their family's castles and those rings Lauren had bought them in Dublin for their anniversary. The tattoo really was small, no bigger than her thumbnail, but the only things she could make out in the design were a small heart and crown. She smiled, knowing Lauren could decipher the rest, but that heart was all she needed to know. There was still a lot of work to do, she knew, but she smiled and relaxed when she saw a door appear where the mirror once was.

Bo was ready.

* * *

This morning, Lauren had woken up snuggled with Tamsin. The problem was that Kenzi had caught them when she brought Briann and Alexie in to wake them up. There was only mild cursing in Russian, especially when Lauren and Tamsin hopped out of the bed at the ready from the intrusion and still only had on their underwear covering their bottoms. After the initial shock wore off, though, they just started chuckling before Lauren moved to grab Briann from Kenzi and Tamsin moved to grab her pants.

When they were all dressed and ready and eating breakfast in the dining room, Lauren decided that she didn't want to just sit around and wait for either an attack or for Bo to return. So, she made the strange decision to take Briann (and Dyson and Tamsin as bodyguards) with her to visit her mother. The mansion wasn't that far from the farm, and Lauren had this overwhelming desire to talk to her mother, though she couldn't place why.

So, Dyson and Tamsin drove her there, and she took Briann in to surprise her grandmother. At first, Lauren expected to be scolded for showing up unannounced. Angela Lewis was like her, a planner, so she would not appreciate the impromptu visit and would instead start yelling or acting passive aggressive because her already planned day was interrupted.

However, Lauren came to find that her mother had been expecting her, so Dyson and Tamsin stayed outside the small sitting room while they talked. They got right down to business, since her mother was never one for smalltalk.

"Your father is well accounted for, and I've noticed a change in his guards. Your wife's doing, I presume?" Her mother nodded her acceptance to the servant who placed the tray down on the small bistro table between them. Lauren shuffled Briann to her other leg, as she watched her mother pour them tea and hand Briann a shortbread cookie. When they were younger, Angela Lewis wouldn't dare give her children a cookie, though she did teach them the proper way to sift, pour, and serve tea. "I am sure this will be a short trip, since the next bit of news I have for you is regarding the leader of the resistance. I do request you stay for one cup with me, though. I do enjoy seeing my granddaughter."

"All of your plans are sort of coming true, I suppose, so you must be happy about that." Lauren nodded her agreement as she accepted the cup from her mother. She didn't need to hear it; she knew her mother was glad to see her, too. Old habits die hard, though, and Lauren knew she would never see a change in her mother's demeanor toward her. Lauren knew not to expect much from her mother, but Angela Lewis was now Briann's only living and somewhat sane grandparent. There was no way in hell they were letting William Lewis near her. "To be honest, I suspected you were the leader. It made sense, but knowing what you have done and sacrificed to see me become who I am, I realized you couldn't be."

"I notice a distinct lack of your wife. I do believe this is the first time we've sat down to talk, just the two of us, without her, since you have joined the fae." She relaxed a little, as much as Angela Lewis would relax.

"Almost ten years." Lauren didn't want to show her disdain, so she hid it by taking a careful sip of the hot tea. She also didn't want to mention this was probably the first time ever they had sat down alone. Her mother handed Briann another cookie, since only 2/3 of the last one actually made it in the baby's mouth. Lauren chuckled and rolled her eyes before using her cloth napkin to wipe her daughter's face clean of cookie crumbs.

"Ten years is nothing to a fae. You will understand that soon enough." Her mother placed her teacup on the table before leaning forward. "As long as you don't get yourself killed, you will live well onto 500 years as a hybrid. Your genes are stronger than most hybrids, and your bond with your wife, the Queen, will ensure that you are together for longer than normal. This is something your books will not cover, but it is something you need to know, so you can plan your life accordingly."

"That is helpful. Thank you." Lauren had been expecting no more than 300, and that was because of what Gram said about her fae genetics. That she was going to get another 200 to be with Bo was great news. That meant there was an extra 200 years that Bo didn't have to be alone or would never get to experience tangential love again. "Bo is completing the reflection ritual now; she should return tonight. When she does…"

"This thing becomes real. I know." Her mother smiled at her. It was a genuine, adoring smile. It made Lauren feel slightly stiff and uncomfortable, but she took a minute to breathe and accept the sentiment. "You, my daughter, Lauren, will be queen by this time tomorrow."

"I…" Lauren felt a sharp pain on her chest and put down her teacup to place her hand over her heart. Her pulse seemed to be normal, and she didn't feel lightheaded. She looked at the tea, praying her mother didn't poison her. "Tamsin!"

"Lauren?" The woman rushed in, almost immediately at her side and ready to fight. Dyson stood cautiously at the ready in the doorway. "Everything okay?"

"Everything is fine." Her mother was still smiling before standing and pointing to her own heart. "You've been marked. The Queen has finished her reflection."

"Marks don't happen like that." Dyson walked further into the room, standing behind Lauren's chair in a defensive posture. Lauren just unbuttoned her navy dress shirt further and pulled down her white tshirt to reveal a tattoo.

"That wasn't there this morning." Tamsin reached forward, still crouched next to Lauren, as she ran her fingers along the mark. Dyson and her mother arched an eyebrow, but Lauren was too baffled to worry about explaining. "A heart and crown and some weird Celtic symbol. Wolf, this is your language; not mine."

"Of course." He walked over and stared at Lauren's chest. She had a strong desire to let her shirt back up, not sure she liked the man's intense stare. He breathed in and smiled before bowing his head slightly. "My queen."

"So, that's it? Bo's completed her walkabout, and that means she branded Lauren from Odin knows where?" Tamsin narrowed her brow. Lauren understood the expression of confusion and worry. Bo was supposed to be gone for another eleven hours. What else was going to happen in that time?

"Relax. This is just the beginning; nothing else will happen. All clans have a brand; you know that, Lauren. This just means you and Bo have finally created your own." She picked up her tea again and leaned back slightly in her chair, the smirk still on her face as she too bowed her head. "My queen."

"So…now, what? Does this mean the resistance is done? Can we just go home and take a nap while we wait on the succubus to get her ass back from purgatory or limbo or wherever the hell she went?" Tamsin placed her hand on Lauren's shoulder in comfort, but she was still trying to process.

"The old resistance will cease to exist once Bo returns, yes." Angela Lewis took a deep breath, her smile now faltered before standing. "Our time is coming to a close, daughter. Your schedule will be busy for a while, but I hope you will not mind me visiting my granddaughter. I have missed family dinners."

"Oh, of course." Lauren came out of her shock, finally letting her grip go before moving to rebutton her shirt and stand, as well. She shifted Briann in her arms. Her mother had rarely visited the farm; for the past year, she had only been there a handful of times when Lauren and Bo were there. That meant a Hestian was away from her family; away from her food source. Lauren really wished Maureen would visit more often, though she suspected Roger did make it habit to visit. "You know when and where."

"I look forward to it." Her mother moved forward the last few feet to wrap them in a hug. It was a Hestian-charged hug, and it made Lauren want to burst into tears of joy at the warmth and love she felt. Just as soon as it started, it was over. "Now, you need to drive into the city. You may consider calling in your backup; it is better if you all stay together right now."

"The city?" Lauren gripped Briann tighter, feeling her daughter getting antsy in her arms, probably from the intense hug.

"Your father may have been raised by the resistance, but he underestimated the power of a Hestian scorned. Nobody messes with my family." Angela Lewis had never looked scarier or intimidating as she did in that moment. If Bo were here, she would definitely agree. "I think it's time you set up an appointment to visit Dr. Krane."

"Elder Krane is the leader of the resistance? That's impossible. She fought in the Great Fae War; she was the biggest advocate of the laws changing. Why would she lead the resistance? She followed the Blood King to the end." Dyson seemed like he was offended by this news. Lauren had to admit, she was equally surprised considering the woman's history and importance in the war's outcome, though staying close to your enemy and staying deep undercover for millenia was the perfect cover.

"Mary and I have known each other for years. She is a Light Fae Elder for a reason. When the Ash suggested she be the one to raise your father, I agreed without hesitation." Her resolved voice seemed to get stronger, and Lauren could tell this actually upset her mother more than she was saying. "Brute force will not defeat her. She will be planning something when you least expect it, and she will not let this go. So, don't be where she expects you to be. Be where she is instead."

"In the city?" Tamsin moved to place a hand on Lauren's back, letting her know they should move fast. Dyson grabbed Briann's diaper bag.

"She's just as predictable. She'll be in her office, and she won't be prepared for you. When Bo came to her, only asking for your freedom, Mary probably thought she could take care of the problem herself. Who wouldn't be tempted in that situation?" Her mother walked with them to the door; all of them seemed to be taking bigger strides. "She underestimated Bo's support group. Don't underestimate _her._ She's a Wendigo, and she's a strong woman who is panicking right now and still holding onto her undying belief that she is doing the right thing. Go now."

"Thank you." Lauren lifted her chin, holding her own resolve, ready for action but stopping to make the little things count. That meant addressing her mother. "See you Sunday."

"Good luck." Her mother called after them, as they rushed to get into the car. Dyson called Hale to move them to the fae-powered panic room beneath the lab; it was the safest place for them right now. Tamsin drove them toward the city, and Lauren started thinking of things she could say and what she could possibly do to save her family.

It was time to end this thing.


	41. Everybody Wants to Rule the World

Lauren walked into the reception area, Tamsin directly behind her. They drove back by the farm on their way here, and Dyson stayed with Briann back in the compound's safe house while Tamsin escorted Lauren on her mission to stall Elder Krane. The less people, the less of a threat they posed. Her mother was right for them to stay together right now, but that didn't mean they all had to be together while trying to kill the enemy with kindness. Still, Tamsin wouldn't let Lauren go alone like she wanted, and honestly, she was glad for the backup. Elder Krane was a Wendigo; that thought alone made Lauren shiver in fear. However, she was also the woman who had murdered her wife not that long ago. Lauren's false sense of confidence wavered the closer they got to the building, but it renewed the second they walked in the door and rode up the elevator to the office complex.

She wanted to end this, once and for all.

Tamsin walked closely behind her, which Lauren recognized as a safe guard tactic. Even if the halls appeared empty, that didn't mean they didn't need to stay on alert for a possible attack. The quietness and darkness in this space, despite the sun still shining outside, visually gave this entire encounter the necessary sense of doom that Lauren felt inside. The humming from the vents and their soft footfalls on the hardwood floors were the only sounds filling the long hallway. Was this similar to the experience Bo had when she walked this very path? Should Lauren turn around and wait for Bo? That seemed the smarter move, but she was so tired of fighting and waiting. Lauren just wanted this to end now, and she felt some sort of confidence that she could appeal to the woman's logical side. It was the only thing that allowed her to keep walking.

It felt like it took them longer than necessary to get to the office. Lauren edged in first, slowly pushing the door further open from where it was left ajar. Elder Krane was sitting with one lamp illuminating her desk and her blinds pulled, even though the sun was scheduled to set in an hour. There was a bottle of scotch sitting on her desk; the good stuff, from what Lauren could tell.

The woman was leaned back in her tall leather chair, relaxed as though everything she ever wanted was not being threatened. It looked like she was just enjoying a day off from patients, while perched with some nice scotch in her office, without a care in the world. That unnerved Lauren more than anything, as she took cautious steps into the room until she was sitting across from the intimidating woman. Tamsin stayed standing behind her, seemingly at the ready. Could a Valkyrie defeat a Wendigo? Lauren believed it possible, but both of them would have been fighting for a cause. Only one of them was close to losing everything she had worked millennia to accomplish, though.

Elder Krane didn't even bother to turn, still staring at the wall beside her expansive desk and taking slow slips from her glass tumbler. The darkness in the room made it hard to see her features clearly, since the lonely lamp on her desk was faced away from her.

"Dr. Lewis, to what do I owe the pleasure?" She still didn't swivel in her chair, staring into her glass before taking another slow sip. Her glass was empty, so she finally sat it down on the mahogany desktop before slowly swiveling to face them, bringing herself to the light. She picked up the bottle and poured herself another. "And freely associating with Dark Fae body guards? I see you have discovered your chains have been officially broken."

"You know why we're here." Lauren steeled her jaw, chin raising and trying to look intimidating, though she knew she was failing. "We were hoping to convince you to surrender."

"Your wife, the future queen, couldn't convince me to free just you, and she paid with her life. What makes you think you are going to receive different results?" Her smirk was telling Lauren that she would be better off running. "How do you know I already haven't killed everyone you love? How do you know there aren't cadres of Moraghs there right now, tearing your family apart just like they tore apart your grandfather?"

"I just do." Lauren tried not to show her panic, and she felt Tamsin come to place a hand on her shoulder for added strength. "Just like I know you feel threatened right now because you know you've already lost."

"What makes you think we won't start a new resistance to your wife's insane ideas? They are worse than the laws we have now." She still sounded so calm and amused, yet her voice and posture were intimidating.

"I know you'll try." Lauren took in a deep breath and actually smiled. "I also know you'll fail again. Whatever you dish out, Bo can handle."

"Such faith in the wrong horse. Your father should have brought you to me before your mother had any say." She placed her tumbler on the desk before slowly moving her chair around to face them. Her eyes glowed the most evil red Lauren had ever seen. She definitely felt threatened, but Lauren steeled herself, praying to any deity possible, that she hadn't made a horrible decision. The thought had crossed her mind ever since discovering her father was part of the resistance. What would have happened to her if he had been completely in charge? Sure, he had been the one to scold her and make her mind, but he was doing it on her mother's orders. Looking back, he had a more sinister way of doing it than was probably actually requested. Now, Lauren knew why.

"If he did, I still would have met Bo, and we still would have been together." This was one thing she believed completely. No matter what universe, no matter when or where, she and Bo were destined to be together. It was a fact. It was what made her jaw steel again and her resolve strengthen.

"I would've broken you, and you would have killed her on contact without being the wiser of what you'd done, of what you could've had." Elder Krane smiled, her ruby lips matching her glowing eyes. Lauren felt Tamsin's grip loosen, and she didn't have to turn around to know her friend was preparing a defensive stance.

"That's not how destiny works. You've always known you would fail. It's why you never made a move, always hiding behind lackeys and pawns." Lauren took in a deep breath. She wasn't sure where the sudden bravado came, and she was starting to regret this decision to come at all. Still, the longer they sat here with her, the less likely she was to call in an attack. That was also considering she hadn't already done that. She was obviously not surprised to see them, so she probably knew they were here. She could have sent the order before they even entered the office. Just because the halls were bare didn't mean her wards weren't still in place. Did that mean Tamsin wouldn't have her powers right now? Lauren's eyes widened, and she took another deep breath, hoping to hide her extra panic.

"You know, your father just wanted to go ahead and kill you once he overheard your mother and grandmother talking about the prophecy. I think you were not quite one. He didn't know it would be you, but he knew it would be your bloodline that would be our undoing and merge the four royal bloodlines into one true crown." She leaned forward more in her chair, elbows on the desk and fingers steepled at her lips. "When he asked me what he should do, I told him to wait. I admit I was curious how a human hybrid was going to be the end of the resistance, especially considering faes for centuries have tried and failed to even get close. Nobody could have sensed how powerful your pheromone signature would be to all fae. Even I can taste it in the air. Of course you would immediately attract a succubus, especially one whose father was Samael himself, the old horndog. It makes me wish I had listened to your father all those years ago."

"Then, what? You would have just continued sitting and hiding from everyone, never accomplishing anything?"

"You see, Lauren, that's just the thing." She leaned closer, her eyes narrowing in a dangerous fashion. "We were close to winning; we had everything we needed. We just had to pluck the right dominoes and watch everything fall apart."

"You know, for a super secret underground club, you seem to air out your dirty laundry and plans quite easily." Tamsin's tone showed her own amusement, but Lauren turned to see her friend was extremely defensive right now.

"I suggest you leave now." Elder Krane leaned back in her chair again, just staring at them through red glowing eyes. "I'm starting to get a little hungry, and I just sharpened my teeth this morning."

"After this is over, we will be watching you, so I suggest you back off and not piss us off." Tamsin had taken point, even as she touched Lauren's arm to promote her to listen to the woman's warning. It was wise counsel, and Lauren stood in response. They walked to the door, though neither she nor Tamsin were stupid enough to turn their backs on the woman.

"I'll be seeing you." Her smirk was what gave the words meaning. Lauren was surprised Tamsin didn't try to attack then and there. Instead, she escorted them out of the office, not caring when she slammed the door shut behind them.

* * *

When they arrived back at the farm, Lauren had forgotten everyone was holed up in the lab's safe room. The sun had set on their way here, and Bo was supposed to return from her walkabout in a handful of hours, so it was logically the best place for her family right now; no amount of any army or armies could break through that door. For some reason, though, Lauren had a sudden urge to move them all. She no longer felt like the farmhouse was the perfect place for them, even with that safe room. So, she texted Kenzi and asked how everyone was, even as she and Tamsin walked into the kitchen. They could at least grab some extra snacks before heading down to join them, even if the panic room was full of supplies.

The reply she received made her worry even more. Kenzi would usually send her something snarky in return, but it was one word. "Fine." That didn't make Lauren feel like everything was fine, so she had Tamsin run with her to the hidden entrance behind the barn lab and rush downstairs. Everything _seemed_ fine, but she still had this foreboding feeling that something was wrong.

Tamsin sensed something, too, as she was looking around the space outside of the door where their family was supposed to be right now. Lauren dialed Kenzi's number and was relieved to hear the young woman's voice. She did sound fine, though there was something still not right.

"We should leave the farm. They'll be expecting us to be here, and that makes us more vulnerable to attack. Let's all stay together and move somewhere they won't expect to find us." Lauren was in the process of putting in her keycode to open the door, but Tamsin's movements distracted her.

"Lauren, don't open the door." Kenzi was so loud she was almost yelling, and Lauren could hear her through the walls.

"We're getting out of here, Kenz." Lauren moved to input her keycode again but stopped when she heard Kenzi whimper into the phone.

"No, Lauren. Listen to me. Do not open that door. We may have a situation. Luckily, Dyson sniffed it out and took Briann somewhere else, but it was too late for us and we were all stuck." Kenzi was no doubt finished panicking, but she was also thinking like a mother right now. "Don't worry. Dyson took her someplace safe. He didn't say where."

"Why didn't you say anything earlier?" Lauren knew now was not the time to scold the young woman for not giving a solid answer before; she should be talking to Dyson right now and going to them, or at least trying to figure out how to get her friends out of there. Alexie was in there. Lauren's eyes widened in realization of the danger. Elder Krane was right; the resistance had already attacked.

"I didn't want to worry you. We're fine in here, Dyson and Briann are fine wherever they are, and you're fine out there. Just, do not open that door." Kenzi let out a deep breath into the phone, the whooshing sound causing Lauren to pull the phone from her ear.

"Why? What's wrong?" Lauren moved away from the door, watching her friend work and trying not to imagine the bad things this could be. She desperately wanted to hang up and find out where Dyson had gone, but she also needed to know that her family was safe inside these walls, too.

"It's rigged to explode." Tamsin bent down to point where she had been studying closely. Lauren watched as Tamsin pointed along the walls. There were wires blended perfectly into the wall; without actually looking for them, nobody would have ever noticed them. "Once the door shut with them inside, it triggered the device. I have to give it to the crazy old bitch; she knows her stuff. She wanted you to suffer and die, even after you thought you had won."

"Yeah, well, she has underestimated me for the last time." Lauren followed the wires again before turning her attention back to Tamsin. "Get a bomb squad here pronto."

"Of course." Tamsin pulled out her phone, already dialing.

"Kenzi?" Lauren waited for the woman on the other end of the line to answer.

"Still here. Not going anywhere for the foreseeable future unless the dismembered and charred look has suddenly come into fashion." She was trying to hide her fear through humor right now, and Lauren understood the need. Kenzi was trying not to show how serious or panicked she was; Alexie was a sensitive child and could pick up on those emotions. "Just, go get Briann and Dyson. We'll be fine in here for now. Hale says you owe him a raise. I won't repeat what Vex said."

"Okay, stay calm. We'll get a team down here to get you out as soon as possible. I'm sure you've already found the supplies and provisions, so…just stay calm and safe." Lauren turned to see Tamsin give a thumbs up. "Okay, we're going. If anything changes, call."

"Bo should be home soon, and this will be over, Lauren. Just remember that. Focus on that." Kenzi sounded so sure. The fact that Alexie wasn't bouncing at the mention of Bo's name meant he was being occupied elsewhere in the room. Lauren was grateful for small things. "Kick some resistance ass, Hotpants."

"Stay safe." Lauren hung up and quickly made her way back to Tamsin, who was still studying the wires along the floor.

"The team is on their way; I don't think they'll have much trouble with this. They were more concerned with the quality of the surprise than the quality of the bomb. This would have killed anyone within 20 feet of it, but it won't be hard to diffuse, so you can breathe easy that we caught this." Tamsin stood and placed a strong hand on Lauren's shoulder. "Listen to me. Right now, we're going to find Dyson and your daughter. Bo will return from Neverland soon. This is almost over, but it's not over yet. We play this smart, okay?"

"You drive. I'm calling Dyson." Lauren had already dialed his number as they started walking back out of the lab's back cellar entrance. They weren't prepared to be surrounded by a cadre of Moraghs. It was pitch dark outside, but the underfae assassins were unmistakable. They had haunted Lauren's dreams since finding out a group of them had killed her grandfather. Lauren heard Dyson on the other end, and he heard her one word "Moraghs" before he yelled that he was on his way and that Briann was safe.

"Bitch wasn't kidding." Tamsin stood a bit in front of Lauren, though she was probably regretting leaving her sword in the car right now. They were weaponless and surrounded by seven Moraghs. One would have done the job; Elder Krane wanted extra insurance that it was done right, apparently.

Off in the distance, Lauren heard a rumbling, and the ground seemed to shake as the sound got closer. She saw Ferdinand running the corner, horns at the ready. It was enough distraction to the ancient assassins that Lauren grabbed Tamsin's hand and pulled them to start running just as Ferdinand impaled one of the Moraghs in his lone stampede.

They needed distance, and they needed weapons. Tamsin was fast, and Lauren was glad to learn this about her friend, though she was learning she needed to start running more herself. Tamsin reached the car first, and Lauren cursed herself for dropping the keys into the gravel. When Tamsin opened the trunk and tossed Lauren a sword, her eyes widened in fear. Lauren turned around to notice what had caught her friend's attention.

She felt all of the color drain from her body.

She felt all of her confidence disappear.

She was surprised she didn't soil her pants.

Gone were the ruby lips, but those glowing red eyes were instantly recognizable. Elder Krane stood in her true form, towering over them at about ten feet tall, lanky, bony, but intimidating. Her teeth had definitely been sharpened, as the light illuminating the driveway reflected off of her sharp white fangs. She stood there and stared at them, breathing out something like smoke from her open-faced nostrils.

Tamsin moved next to her, gripping her sword and pointing it toward the Wendigo. That sword wouldn't do a damn thing, which was the reason Lauren used to explain to herself why she dropped her own sword on the ground. She tried to recall everything she ever read about Wendigos. Why couldn't she remember how to kill them? Why did her brain pick now of all times to decide to go stupid?

She looked down to see a large wolf run up next to her, watching amazed at he shifted to Dyson. Lauren did not think now was a time to realize he was naked, but she couldn't stop herself from staring and realized exactly why Bo kept going back to him. She didn't even care that his eyes and face were still shifted slightly to a dangerous wolf form; her brain had really gone stupid. She knew it had to be true now that she was focusing on Dyson's wolf junk and thinking about what her wife used to do with said junk. Now was definitely not the time or place to go all territorial. Her eyes widened as she thought of Bo, who would not be back for hours. Now was not the time to think about sex.

Why hadn't Elder Krane attacked them yet? What was she waiting for? It would be easier to put them out of their misery fast instead of making them stand there and wait.

She seemed stalled, though, like she _couldn't_ move from her spot. Like she was frozen in place. Lauren took a tentative step forward and noticed Elder Krane's eyes shoot daggers at them, trying to act intimidating and wanting to move but not being able to.

That's when she heard the back screen door swing open and close. She looked over to find Gram walking toward them, as though nothing was happening and there wasn't a giant Wendigo beast or a naked Dyson standing right there, though she did toss Dyson a pair of sweatpants. If it weren't so dangerous, it would almost be comical that she had even brought them.

"Hello, dear. I should've come out sooner, but I do find myself needing a flare of dramatic sometimes." She came to stand next to Elder Krane, moving her hand like she was going to pet the creature and not being the least bit worried about being eaten in response. Lauren watched as a mystical force seemed to keep them from touching. "This old lady still has a few tricks up her sleeve. It's one thing your grandfather taught me: how to set up a barrier using nothing but the earth." She walked to them, standing in front of Lauren before turning to Dyson, who was thankfully covered from the waist down now. "Dyson, do be a dear and help Ferdinand?"

"Of course." He was off and running to the barn lab, where the sounds of a fight could still be heard. The squeals and crashing and rumblings were doing nothing to calm the dark atmosphere surrounding them right now.

"Gram, what's going on?" Lauren looked to her grandmother and noticed the amused smile on her face.

"I'm not allowed to interfere in your destiny; that was part of the rules, but I'll be damned if I'm going to sit by while my family is threatened and attacked. I've been planning this for a bit now. Ever since I found out it was Elder Krane who was the one who actually sent the order to kill your grandfather. I may have been Dark, but I knew better than to believe the Ash was behind that." She walked to stand on the other side of Lauren, and all three women just stared at the tall, intimidating yet frozen-in-place creature. "I didn't know she was the leader of the resistance until Angela told me at Hadley's wake. Why she waited this long to tell you herself only proves how much she wanted to protect you, even if it was foolish of her to keep it a secret."

"How did she find out?" Lauren knew this wasn't the best time and place to be searching for answers or to get on her grandmother for being the ultimate secret keeper. She didn't know exactly what her grandmother had done to keep Elder Krane stalled, and she didn't know if it would hold. "Wait, why are you here and not with Bo?"

"Bo didn't need us both, and I felt she would feel better if her own grandfather was the one waiting for her on the other side." Gram turned to look at Lauren again. "As for your mother, I don't think she knew until Bo was killed. She said she had her suspicions over the years, especially with your father, but she never had any confirmation until Bo was killed. After your father came to kill you, let's just say your mother had no trouble making him talk. I believe you'll find him resigning his position soon; your sister's death was just too much for him. After that, he will never bother you again; that I can promise you. "

"So, do we just stand here and play 'face off' with this thing, or do we kill it?" Tamsin gripped her sword tighter, even as she bent over to pick up Lauren's. "Wait, why are we even talking about this? Let's just kill the bitch."

"It's not that simple." Gram took a deep breath and looked at Lauren, a strange combination of pride and sadness. "The laws have changed. That means we can't just kill without cause. Everyone deserves a just trial."

"Uh, hello? Obvious cause staring right at us." Tamsin had a point. If anybody had reason to be executed, it was Elder Krane. As leader of the resistance, she no doubt had slaughtered many fae and humans over the years. They could end this all right now. "And why are we _still_ talking about this?"

"Lauren, as new queen, it is your decision what happens here. You are the one responsible for deciding her fate." No wonder Gram looked proud and sad. Somehow, the power shift had already happened, and she obviously didn't wish that burden on anyone, let alone her own granddaughter. To be honest, Lauren wasn't sure she was ready for something this big. Even though the woman had threatened their lives and would continue to threaten them, how could she play judge, jury, and executioner? It wasn't in her bones to kill someone willingly, regardless of what they'd done.

"I don't want my first act as queen to be killing someone." Lauren looked up at the Wendigo and no longer felt afraid. "What message does that send to our people if I just eliminate threats? I don't want to be a fearful ruler. I don't want people to think that I'll take out someone just because they don't agree with me."

"I don't mind doing it." Tamsin sounded way too happy about it. Lauren sent her a thankful glance but still nodded her head.

"No. Not like this." Lauren steeled her jaw, taking a step forward to stare at the Wendigo. "If she was really a threat, if she really wanted me dead, she would have let my father kill me when I was a baby. No, she wants me alive. She wants me on the throne. The rigged setup in the safe house? The moragh attack? That's all she has? From someone who has led this resistance and is apparently close to getting what she has wanted all these years?"

"Or, it's all she has left." Tamsin swung her sword a bit to mimic fighting, obviously trying to remind Lauren that they had spent quite a bit of time taking out attackers when they were on that trip. "Maybe she's exhausted all of her followers and has nothing left. Why else come on her own? You were right earlier, Lauren. She knows it's over; she came here wanting you to kill her."

"Then all the more reason why I shouldn't." Lauren took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking in the fresh night air. When she exhaled, she slowly opened her eyes and immediately saw the world through a new lens. She was queen now. It was time to accept that and start acting like one. "My first act as queen is probably just as stupid, but I'm letting you go, Elder Krane. However, you are being stripped of your honor and title, and you will be turned over to your peers to let them decide your final fate."

"Well, that was anti-climactic." Tamsin seemed both relieved and disappointed. She was so much like Bo sometimes; always ready for a fight but not really wanting one. "I expected some big battle was how this thing ended."

"It wasn't necessary." Lauren walked over to stand next to her friend so she could look back up at Elder Krane still looming over them. She looked resolved; she had finally given up.

"Damn, you're hot when you're being all royal and intense." Tamsin leaned her sword against her shoulder just like a kid would a baseball bat while waiting in the dugout. Lauren couldn't help her slight smirk; all of her fear was gone now, even in the shadow of a giant Wendigo beast. "Who do you want me to call to come pick this thing up?"

"Evony. Elder Krane was Light, and I want the people to understand that there are no more clan allegiances or business anymore. We're just fae now."

"You realize the Morrigan will probably…" Tamsin stopped and held up her free hand when she noticed Lauren raise an eyebrow. "Right."

"Make sure Evony is clear that no harm is to come to Mary Krane until we can assemble a group to decide what happens to her." Lauren took one last look up at the Wendigo before turning her back on it, a vast difference to their earlier approach. "An attack on this woman will be an attack on the throne, and that will not be tolerated."

"Dude, did I mention the hot factor right now?" Tamsin nodded before turning away to make the call. Lauren just watched her friend talking, feeling like she had actually made the right decision letting the Valkyrie breach her trust issues.

Lauren walked back to her grandmother and pulled her in for a hug, silently thanking her and needing that extra Hestian and familial warmth right now. Bo would be home around midnight, everything would finally be calm, and they would have the bomb squad diffuse the safe room so that those inside could be released. From the howling and snorting, it sounded like Dyson and Ferdinand had finally taken care of the Moragh problem. Tamsin was on the phone, preparing for their biggest enemy to be taken away, and Lauren had finally realized what it meant to be queen.

No, Lauren _was_ Queen.

She knew she would have to make these decisions again and again, and she could only hope that she didn't become numb to them. The best part, and the part that actually made her smile despite all of the events and the unpredictable future, was that she was going to be doing this with her wife. She was going to get to do this with Bo, and that made this entire thing not seem so scary anymore.


	42. Lauren's Hypothesis Proven

Bo exited the car before Trick even had a chance to put it in park. Something felt strange, and the voicemail and text message Lauren left her sounded equal parts ominous and relieving. She mentioned everything was fine, that everyone was safe, and that she would be waiting up for her when she came home. The idea of going home to Lauren made Bo smile and sigh in relief, though she couldn't let her guard down until she saw it or felt it since the bond hadn't returned yet.

Bo was not surprised when she walked out of the white reflecting room to find her grandfather in the same spot she had left him. It didn't feel like 24 hours, but he confirmed that it had been before chuckling at her enthusiasm. It wasn't until after Peggy transported them back to Trick's car in the city and they were on their way back to the farm that she realized her grandfather had bowed his head when he first saw her. That thought made her smile, too, which was about the time she sent an "On our way; see you soon. Love you" text to Lauren. She desperately wanted to call and hear her wife's voice, to relay her excitement, but Bo didn't want to wake the whole house since it was past midnight already. She had no doubt Lauren would be waiting up for her, and Bo felt her eyes flash at the images and fantasies playing in her mind of her reunion with her wife.

Her worries and anticipation were for naught, apparently. When she walked in the back door, she could smell coffee brewing and hear laughter coming from the kitchen. It had been a long time since the gang had stayed up this late together. She walked in the kitchen to see Vex mesmering Kenzi into putting down a cupcake, Dyson talking to and actually smiling at Gram and Hale, and Tamsin and Lauren huddled together at the kitchen island laughing like teenage girls telling secrets. The visual confirmation that everyone was safe made Bo finally relax, though she didn't make a move to enter the room yet. She liked watching her family, especially her wife. While she wasn't wearing the baby blue lingerie Bo imagined, Lauren was still beautiful.

Her connection with Lauren still hadn't returned yet, and she was curious why, even if she wasn't worried about it this time. She knew it would return shortly. It would have been nice to know Lauren felt this happy, though. She only smiled and allowed herself to laugh so openly and freely when she was. It was Dyson and his creepy sniffing that caught on to her presence first. Everyone seemed to turn with him, and Lauren stood, acting like she was having to hold herself back from just rushing into her arms.

"You're back!" Lauren took a tentative step forward, though Gram, Hale, and Dyson were blocking her path. Bo wanted to just push them out of the way so she could have tangible proof that everyone was okay. Even more, she just wanted to feel connected to her wife again.

"Lauren already had hers, so Bo, as _your_ first act as queen, can we chop off Vex's hands so he will stop stealing my cupcakes?" Kenzi was pouting and crossing her arms. Vex, apparently, had succeeded in his earlier task, his upper lip already covered in frosting, though Bo noticed his eyes large as he looked directly at her. Then, he disappeared from view as he knelt behind the kitchen island where he and Kenzi were standing. Bo looked to notice Dyson, Hale, and Tamsin follow suit. Gram nodded her head, similar to Trick's, who was just in process of entering in the back door to stand beside her.

"Your highness." Dyson was the first one to say it, but the others followed again. She looked at Lauren and Kenzi, who were still standing and looking at their friends on the ground.

"Fae can sense your throne now. This is going to happen everywhere you go. Better get used to it, kiddo." Trick placed a hand on her back and pushed his way into the room to stand next to Gram. All Bo saw was one more body blocking her way to Lauren. "I'm happy to see everyone is alive and well. I assume Elder Krane has been dealt with?"

"She's in holding at the Dark Fae's compound." Gram placed a hand on Trick's shoulder, much like old friends after not seeing each other for too long. It made her want to push through them even more so she could pull Lauren into her arms.

"Elder Krane?" Bo looked around and was glad when her friends got off of the floor and resumed their previous positions. "And, Vex, wipe your mouth."

"Yes, my queen." He immediately obeyed, and Bo had to smirk. She could definitely get to used to the more difficult people minding her. She was glad Lauren was going to be there to tether her down when the power became too much. Lauren would always be her voice of reason; even long after she was gone.

"She was the leader of the resistance, which has fallen with her. Lauren dealt with it like a true leader." Gram moved to the side, probably sensing Lauren had moved behind her and wanted through. "You will be great rulers."

"Can I please go to my wife now?" Lauren placed her hand on Dyson's shoulder this time, and he moved to let her fully get through the sea of bodies. Bo was glad when she saw Lauren moving toward her and fully walked into the room herself to meet her halfway.

As soon as their arms were around each other, Lauren's lips were on hers, too. The instant their lips and bodies made contact, the bond hit Bo full force, as she breathed her sigh of relief and completeness into the kiss, pulling Lauren even closer.

The soft cough interrupted the revived connection, and Bo looked, feeling her eyes flash blue, at the intruder. When she noticed Trick standing there, she let out a deep breath before loosening her hold on Lauren. She turned her attention back on the crowd and released her wife, though she made sure to keep her arm around Lauren's waist from the side, her hand loosely gripping her hip.

"So, what's next?" Bo turned to her friends and family, hoping they would have a suggestion. All of them except Kenzi had lived several lifetimes, and she was glad for their counsel. She would need that experience to help guide her. "I'm queen; we completed all the stuff. What happens now?"

"Now, you just continue living your life, except with more responsibility. We will need to set up times for you to meet with your people openly, if that's what you want. I'll come over for lunch tomorrow, and we can discuss everything then." Trick moved forward again, making himself closer until he could touch her arm lightly. "I'm proud of you, kiddo. This is a joyous day. One worthy of celebrations for years to come."

"Another fae holiday?" Kenzi looked so comfortable, leaning against the island counter next to Vex. When they had first started hanging out with the fae, Kenzi had been the one to open them with open arms. It was only natural that she, the least physically powerful one in their group, the one who would actually die a normal human death, was the one most accepting and excited about this change. "Hey, that's just another day where I get to rationalize my overdrinking, so I'm all for a 'Bo is awesome' day."

"Much as I love your enthusiasm, I'm not sure 'Bo is awesome' day really gives an accurate description." Gram was smiling, obviously still amused at Kenzi even after all of these years. "This is cause for celebration, though. Shall I break out the buckthorn?"

"Absolutely!" Kenzi was, yet again, the most enthusiastic. Bo looked at Lauren, desperately just wanting to be alone with her wife. It didn't help that she had already fantasized before she got here about Lauren in nothing but lingerie. When she looked at the assembled crowd in the kitchen, she knew that the right thing to do was to celebrate with her friends, though, no matter how much the succubus part of her wanted to get down to the real business. This was a big day for all of them. They had all been the reason this day existed in some way or another.

Vex had been a major confidant and served as backup on numerous occasions. He had somehow become her go to guy over the years; it was a role she had first given to Dyson, but after Vex had randomly popped up and helped her defeat Lilith, he never seemed to go away. Surprisingly, she was glad about that. Bo could remember when they first met, and he had almost killed her. He was too strong for her then, and she wasn't foolish enough to think he couldn't take her out easily now if he really wanted to. The fact that he didn't want to was testament enough to the change.

Gram had served as an advisor and had helped bring Briann into this world. Hell, she had helped bring Lauren into this world. Bo was forever going to be grateful to this woman, and for that matter, she was forever going to be grateful to Evony for sending her here to help Gram in the first place. She was frustrating, but she had always been the one to see the endgame. It was her vision that had actually set all of the events in motion to have this happen.

Hale had been a great friend over the years. Not only had he helped her get used to the fae world, he had always had Kenzi's back, even when she didn't. He had proven himself extra important by running a tight security on the farm. Bo felt confident he would continue to do a great job.

Even though Bo couldn't stand Tamsin when they met, and there was still a part of her that didn't, though it was mostly the part where the Valkyrie still openly ogled Lauren, Bo had learned to respect that she would always have Lauren's back and that she would always protect her family. She had already proven that by taking a bullet for Lauren. Bo decided while in her reflection period that Tamsin's official role would be to always take care of Lauren. She would be Lauren's personal bodyguard, though Bo wanted to change the title to just guard because she didn't like the idea of Tamsin watching her wife's body even in theory.

Trick was the best grandfather any succubus raised by humans who didn't find out she was even fae until she randomly happened upon them could ask for. He had been her mentor, her guide, and her knowledge. Even if he had made some questionable mistakes and frustrated the hell out of her with all of his secrets, Bo still loved him. She wasn't sure how old fae actually got before they died, or even how old Trick actually was, but she hoped they would have many more centuries together.

Dyson had been her first fae lover. He had been her first lover ever to stay alive. Their relationship was brief but intense, and she had been foolish thinking her love for him was the big love of her life. If she had never met Lauren, she very well could still think that he was her big love. In reality, he _was_ a big love of hers, just like Nadia was for Lauren. How can you really replace the man who gave you confidence to express your sexuality all because he never died? Bo loved him; she still did. However, she had realized long ago, even before she met Lauren, that what they had was real, but it was a different kind of real. He could never have been the one for her. They couldn't even last in an official relationship one month, and even though she had done some crazy things to try and win his love back, she eventually realized that she liked him just the way he was, arrogant alpha asshole and all. She was glad that he had come through everything and become a close friend again. She was glad that he had unmated with her, even if it took him holding Briann to do it and realize he would never be Bo's. The way he treated Lauren now, Bo never would have guessed there was once a major feud between them.

Kenzi needed no explanation. She was everything to Bo. She was her best friend, sister, and spiritual guru. If it hadn't been for Kenzi, Bo would have ran and never fulfilled her destiny. By just coming to save her during her choosing trial, Kenzi had set the path for today more than anybody else because destiny was set in stone, but how it happened was always up for interpretation. Without Kenzi, none of this would have been possible. Without Kenzi, Bo would still be lost.

Lauren was her life. Bo didn't feel like there was a need for explanation there, either. They were about to embark on this adventure together, and she could admit she was a little excited to do it with Lauren. Her eyes flashed again, and she closed them, smiling as she took a deep breath. Lauren rubbed a light hand along her back, which did not help Bo's hunger but did help soothe her. Lauren could control her with just a touch or with just a look. Lauren had given her happiness and a family. Lauren gave her a reason to give her everything and be better at it than she ever thought possible.

Looking at her family gathered again, Bo moved to grip Lauren's hand in hers because there was no way they weren't going to be physically connected through the celebration. Gram pulled down several bottles of the green buckthorn mead, which Bo knew better than to drink much of if she had any chance of being lucid when she went to seduce her wife later.

They stayed gathered for quite a while, and Bo lost track of time just enjoying the laughter and smiles and tales of adventures past. When she looked over at Lauren going to pour another buckthorn shot into their glasses, Bo held a hand over the shot glasses. When Lauren looked up, she clearly understand Bo's expression. That familiar connection was flaring then, and Bo immediately reacted to the instant need of Lauren's own arousal. The doctor may not have been thinking about sex too much before that second, but she definitely was now, and Bo liked it.

Fighting her urge to just take Lauren right there, Bo heard herself whimper. She was startled by Kenzi's hand on her arm and looked to see a knowing smirk on her face.

"Go, Bo. I think we all get it by now." Kenzi nodded her head toward the direction where their room was. Bo didn't need any more encouragement, as she gripped Lauren's hand tighter and pulled her along. She was extremely glad there was no argument, though to be fair, she didn't care nor was she listening. She may be queen now, but she knew one of the biggest roles she would play was dutiful wife, and she was officially on duty.

* * *

Lauren huffed, not caring about the pain as she was slammed into the back of the door. Bo had at least waited until they were in the hallway and out of sight from everyone else before starting her onslaught. From that second, though, she had been a barrage of kisses and heavy petting. It made it difficult to get to their room because Lauren wanted and was giving just as much.

She had no idea why, but she had some sort of extra need to bed her wife right now. Maybe it was the queen thing; maybe this was her reaction to Bo's newfound powers. Lauren somehow doubted that, though, because she just wanted her wife.

Bo lifted Lauren's left leg flush against her body, causing more friction in their hurried and unfortunately fully clothed movements. However, she did understand, as Bo seemed to find the skin underneath Lauren's back and scratched down it with her carefully manicured nails, even as she hastily poured hot, wet kisses along Lauren's throat. When she hit that sensitive spot on her neck, just below her jaw, Lauren hissed out her arousal. There was no need to hold it back anymore, even if they still technically had company just a hallway's length away. It was the bad part about taking this bedroom; they weren't that far from the kitchen and other people. Lauren had since learned that her modesty wasn't as important as sex with her wife. That was definitely the succubus bond enhancement talking.

She didn't want to break this spell, but Lauren really wanted them both naked, and it seemed like Bo was trying to bring her to orgasm just through kisses, thrusting, and groping. Lauren wasn't too proud to admit it was actually working, but she also knew it wasn't enough. For either of them.

"You know I could stay like this all night, but I do have plans to ravage you, too." Lauren let out a long hard breath when Bo hit that spot again. "I wouldn't mind breaking for two seconds if it meant we could both be naked."

"I love when you say the word 'naked.'" Bo didn't break, just going right back to her previous position. If anything, she pulled Lauren closer and upped the friction between their bodies.

"I'm not kidding. I really need to feel you right now." Lauren had to close her eyes. How could Bo make her such a puddle of motionless limbs with just a few well-placed kisses and movements? That would make for a great science experiment; one that involved extreme hands on observation. "I've missed you."

"I can tell." Bo smirked into her neck, though she did move back from her body, leaving Lauren leaning back against the door. They were both trying to catch their breaths, and Lauren could both feel it in their connection and see it on Bo's posture and expression that this derobing needed to happen fast or their clothes would be shredded to pieces by a hungry succubus. Lauren was the first to move, pushing herself off the door and not even bothering with her buttons, just pulling her dress shirt, undershirt, and bra off in one movement. She did have to unbutton her jeans, though she did the same thing with her pants, socks, and underwear. They had already lost their shoes on the way to the room. It was surprising it was the only thing that was lost, but Bo didn't seem to want to stop kissing her long enough to lose anything else.

Once they were both naked again, the cold air hitting their already warm skim, Lauren was the one to attack this time. She wrapped her arms around Bo's back and initiated the kissing, taking control as she moved them back to the bed. Once they were settled into the comfortable surface, they made quick and needy movements, all tangled limbs and constant thrusting and buried fingers. When she felt her first orgasm hit, since she knew there would be many more to come tonight, Lauren could sense Bo was close, as well. When Bo came, Lauren was not surprised there was no room for a break when Bo kissed her and flipped them over. They were already sweaty and tired messes from the hurried cardio. For the rest of the night, they took turns between that intense cardio and cool down lovemaking.

Slow and fast. Hard and soft. No matter how they did it, the results were always the same. Lauren could be a scientist and doctor all she wanted. She was a good and loving mother. She was even a best friend now. She could even admit her new role as queen. In these moments, though, wrapped around Bo, she was just Lauren. This was the role she was destined to play. This was exactly where she wanted to be.


	43. In Perfect Harmony

Bo woke up with the sun in her eyes, Lauren's naked and warm body surrounding her, and the sheet was wrapped loosely around them. She looked over to see Lauren already awake, playing on her tablet but still pressed against her. Crosswords again; she had apparently already given up on the simulation games Bo had started her playing. Lauren was definitely consistent, but Bo wasn't complaining about that. She actually loved that her wife was a nerdy genius.

"Briann will be up soon." Bo looked over at the bedside clock, stretching her limbs a little, feeling Lauren's smooth legs pressed along and around hers.

"Mom actually has her. In all of last night's…excitement, I forgot to tell you. She's bringing her home after when we call." Lauren put down her tablet on her bedside table before crawling back further under the sheet on her side, wrapping an arm around Bo and snuggling. It was rare that Lauren was the initiator of the snuggles, and Bo had since learned to always appreciate and take advantage when she was. "I went to pick her up last night, but she was sound asleep and comfortable. I didn't want to wake her, and I'm trying to trust my mom. She does genuinely seem to adore her, and Dyson had already taken her to the mansion after he sniffed the explosives. We were already there earlier that day, so he knew it was the closest and safest place. I actually should thank him officially for taking her there. I never would have even thought to."

"What about your dad being there?" Bo moved her hand and started rubbing along Lauren's bare arm that was wrapped around her.

"He's being watched closely not anywhere near the mansion, so no worries. I'm not worried." Lauren was still worried, though; Bo could tell, so she just arched an eyebrow to let her know she didn't buy it. "Okay, so…I'm not entirely on board with my mother keeping our daughter by herself. I do remember what being watched and raised by her was like, and I still don't feel comfortable with my mom doing that to our daughter. But, she is Briann's only living grandmother now. I need to make an effort, too."

"Lauren, you don't have to be okay with it." Bo moved her entire body more toward her wife so she could see her beautiful face better. "Your mom hurt you, and I get that you _want_ to put in effort. I get that you have been, but it's fine if you're not 100% behind it. Nobody will think any less of you."

"I know." Lauren leaned her body until she was pressing down slightly on top of Bo before kissing her. Bo could only respond by wrapping her hand behind Lauren's neck and urging her to stay there longer than she probably intended. "You realize we will have to get up soon?"

"As long as you realize I don't want to." Bo moved her hands to pull Lauren further onto her, leaning up for more kisses. "I vote we stay right here all day. I think we've deserved it."

"We have things to do today." Lauren let out a deep breath, even as she moved to lean her head up with her elbow, just looking over at Bo with those intense eyes.

"Even the queens should have a day to fuck around in bed without worrying about any duties." Bo moved to mirror her wife's position so that they were fully facing one another, their legs still entwined underneath what was left of the sheet on the bed.

"I imagine that's exactly what you'd be wanting to do, too." Lauren didn't seem to be protesting too much, though, as she moved forward the little space between them to kiss along Bo's jawline.

"You better believe it." Bo moaned in response to her wife's kisses. She always managed to find that one spot. Hardly anybody knew about that spot, and those before Lauren came along had only hit it on accident. Lauren, though? Lauren knew.

"That doesn't make it any less true that we need to get up and deal with everything. As much as I'm a fan of your plan, we still do have duties to attend." Lauren leaned back to their previous positions, and Bo felt where her wife's lips had departed. She much preferred them where they were previously than talking such nonsense now.

"Sometimes, I don't like your logic." Bo furrowed her brow and pouted a little for emphasis.

"It comes in handy most days." Lauren buried her head into the pillow, obviously trying to pull in and control her own desires. When she came to, she had a big smirk on her face before she sat up and faced Bo, the sheet falling from her body. "You usually associate my logic with dirty talk, though I don't think you really mind it."

"I do love you for your logic, and you know I love when you geek out, but dammit, Lauren, I hate when that means we have to leave this bed." Bo ran her fingers over the her wife's now exposed chest, lightly tracing the pattern above her heart that matched hers. "I know this is probably ridiculous, but I hope you don't plan on wearing more low cut blouses to show this off to people."

"I'll only break out my cleavage in the event of an emergency." Lauren chuckled as she breathed out. She moved to fall onto her back again, her long blonde hair cascading around her face as she stared up at the canopy. Bo leaned over and kissed her shoulder before laying her head next to her wife's beating heart. She loved feeling Lauren's quiet breathing and soothing heartbeat. It always calmed her. "Bo?"

"I know: things to do." Bo still refused to move from the bed, though, and instead wrapped her arm to fully embrace Lauren's body.

"Today's your first official day on the job. Do you really want to make a bad first impression by sleeping in?" Lauren ran her fingertips lightly up and down Bo's back, which calmed her even more. She must have sensed Bo's nervousness.

"They might as well get used to me being late to things. You and my family will always be top priotity." Bo let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, smelling the familiarity of Lauren's skin post sex marathon during morning after snuggles. It was like succubus bait.

"Trick will be here for lunch, and we're supposed to meet with him and Gram to discuss how we're going to keep things running smoothly. We can't leave the fae leaderless until we're ready for them." Lauren stopped running her fingers and just held her hand flat against Bo's back, holding her in place. Bo chuckled a little under her breath when she noticed Lauren was fighting her own logic and ignoring it on purpose. This made her smile a little bigger, so she settled in to the embrace more.

"I thought the whole point of this thing was because we _were_ ready." Bo closed her eyes again and started to slow her breathing. If Lauren was going to ignore their need to get up, then Bo wasn't going to move. If she moved, that meant her wife was more likely to actually listen to herself.

"Mmm, yes. Ready in theory, but there are so many things we still need to consider and do to make this work." Lauren finally relaxed her head back into the pillow. Bo liked to think the reason Lauren was having a hard time leaving the bed was because she had done her job as a succubus well last night. This made her grin and relax even more. Bo could sense Lauren zoning out. "You're a bad influence on me. We really do need to get up."

"It's still early; nobody will question if we sleep in just a little more." Bo realized it had been a long time since they actually had slept in; mostly because of Briann. Strange as it was, Bo felt herself actually thanking Angela Lewis for keeping their daughter overnight. There was still a lot about last night that she needed clarified, but for now, she was going to enjoy a few more hours of sleep wrapped together in bed with her wife.

* * *

Lauren was the first one up, which was not unusual. She looked at the clock and noticed it was almost ten in the morning and extracted herself from Bo's tight hold on her. They would need to get ready for their day, but she couldn't force herself wake Bo just yet. She deserved the sleep, since she briefly mentioned during their sex breaks some of the things that happened while in her reflection period, and sleep wasn't one of them. That meant Bo went for a full day without any rest; even worse, they hadn't managed to do much actual sleeping in their bed last night after Bo got home.

She wanted a fresh and alert queen, and Bo was not the easiest to deal with when she was tired. Bo ruled with her emotions most days; when that was added with a lack of proper slumber, her anger and frustration were her main emotional responses during conversations with people. Lauren usually sent her to take a nap, doctor's orders, whenever Bo snapped at her. She had actually picked up that tip from Kenzi when they first started living together.

Lauren had a few patients this afternoon, and she wanted to check on the progress her technicians were making in the lab regarding an experimental new medicine she was working on to help cure yet another fae flu-like virus. It was nothing she hadn't handled before, though. For a superior race, they sure had more strands of viruses than the human world did; it was the fact that they had superior knowledge and resources to fix and cure those viruses that set them apart medically. She felt confident with her lab technicians and nurses, but she knew she would eventually have to hire more doctors on staff, especially if she was supposed to help Bo with some of her queen duties. Still, Lauren also knew she could never leave the science or her patients behind.

Dr. Lauren Lewis could be a queen, but she would always be a scientist and doctor. Bo would respect that and never ask her to give up her practice so they could focus on the political stuff. Just like Lauren would never ask Bo to give up her crazy cases. She had to smile at the thought of Bo always wanting to go and fix the problem herself like she had been doing the past four years. With the world changing now that the power had shifted, Lauren still knew that some things would always remain the same, and that made this new adventure not as scary.

After she finished getting ready for the day, Lauren made her way to the kitchen, hoping her mother would be bringing Briann home soon since she sent a text and left a voicemail to do just that. She hadn't seen her daughter since she dropped her and Dyson off at the farm yesterday afternoon. Bo hadn't seen her for almost 36 hours. With all of the crazy of last night and yesterday, they really needed to reconnect and feel like a complete family again. It's why Lauren really wanted to get this meeting with Gram and Trick out of the way early so they could rush through everything else they would need to do today. She was very tempted to put off her patients, but she really needed that stability of everyday tasks.

When she walked into the kitchen, she noticed Gram standing at the stove. It was a sight Lauren had seen so many times over the years, but knowing how badass her grandmother actually was made the stereotypical image seem somehow out of place. The stranger thing was when Gram turned to her and bowed her head. Last night, Lauren didn't think anything of it; it was a sign of respect, but she actually didn't feel right about her friends and family treating them differently and bowing or kneeling every time they met. She definitely didn't want Tamsin to start doing that, and she was glad Kenzi wouldn't even if she had been fae and _could_ sense the power.

Instead of dwelling too much by deciding to just enjoy the promised stressful day, Lauren came to give Gram a kiss on the cheek before moving to help her knead the dough. It looked like she was baking pies and prepping dinner rolls for tonight's dinner. Lauren felt like a seven year old helping her grandmother in the kitchen. Neither of them had to say anything. They just seemed to know that this was an intense moment that didn't require words. After all, wasn't that how the Lewis family communicated best? Why would the good times be any different?

They had three blackberry pies in the oven before Bo finally showed her presence. She walked immediately to the mugs, rubbing her eyes like she had just got up, which was probably the case. Lauren always felt a ping when Bo was awake and knew from experience that Bo felt that ping, too. It actually made it a pain when they wanted to fake sleep to avoid or ignore something.

At least Bo had put on her robe, though it didn't look like she bothered with anything else other than brushing her teeth, which Lauren learned from the drive by kiss she got on Bo's way to the coffeemaker.

Lauren kept working and watched her wife sit at the counter, head barely staying up without help. While Bo was struggling to keep her head propped up while she drank her coffee, Lauren helped Gram finish the last two pie crusts. Five pies meant they would have a lot of company for dinner. That's when Lauren realized it was actually Sunday, so they would be having family dinner tonight. No wonder her mom wanted to wait and bring Briann home until after their lunch meeting. Lauren had been mad when saw the reply text, ready to drive over there to pick up her daughter herself. Gram had calmed her, saying it was fine and it worked out in their favor since their lunch meeting would be soon. When she had told her mother she would see her on Sunday yesterday, Lauren now realized why she looked at her so amused despite the heavy conversation. She probably thought Lauren had turned into an idiot, and Angela Lewis would no doubt blame Bo for that.

Lauren took a deep breath before coming over to remove the mug from Bo's loose grip and pull her up from the stool and into an embrace. She could sense how tired Bo really was, but they needed to push through today. They would need the energy to get through it all. Feeling Bo relax and stand up straighter, Lauren finally released the embrace but kept her hand on Bo's back, feeling the heated skin beneath the thin robe. Bo was lucky Uncle Stephen wasn't here right now; he would be having a field day seeing a scantily clad and sex-mussed Bo. If she weren't so concerned, Lauren would probably be reacting more strongly to the visual, too.

"Gram, after the meeting, is there anything pressing we absolutely have to do today?" Lauren looked to her grandmother, hoping the answer was no. Of course Gram would nod her head.

"I'm afraid there are several matters to attend to today. Unless they are completed fast, the fae will test their limits in this new world, and that is something we cannot have with the power not just shifting from leadership but shifting everything." Gram had lived before there were two clans. She and Trick were their oldest advisors right now, and they would be able to guide them on everything they needed to do. The meeting would be long and boring, going over all of the details and only adding more stress to their day and their lives. The details were necessary for them, but the entire point was that they were willing to do them to make sure that this world was changed for the better and would stay that way. Last night, by not just killing or having Elder Krane killed, should have proven that. It was an important lesson to teach, and Lauren felt good about her decision. "You will be very busy these next few weeks, so you may consider holding off on many patients. I also hired a great lawyer to come and help you with the contracts for Evony and Lachlan. You will want to get on that as soon as possible, too."

"Will there be any room for breaks?" Lauren cleared her throat. Gram was right that they would need to take care of a lot of business, but if Bo wasn't at 100% yet, then that meant the things they did wouldn't be 100%.

"I think Fitzpatrick had a minor coronary last night when he heard you two banging against the walls and moaning so loudly. Nobody else stuck around long enough because they knew what was coming. I know you two are still in succubus heat again at the moment, but these matters are important. Sex can wait." Gram was actually scolding them like children, though she had an amused smirk on her face the entire time.

"I didn't mean breaks for sex, Gram." Lauren usually blushed whenever talking about their sex life, but now, she was too concerned about Bo barely being able to stay alert without zoning. Gram wouldn't notice, but Lauren did. "Bo just spent 24 hours someplace, and her body is going to need rest to recuperate from the trip. This is the type of healing that even a chi pick me up can't completely cure. She needs sleep, Gram. Do you at least think we could talk about what needs to be done, make lists, and then break for Bo to get some actual rest before family dinner tonight? I want her fully rested before we decide on anything. For now, Evony and Lachlan know the drill, and they can keep the peace."

"If that is your will." Gram smiled genuinely at her. "Of course, that sounds reasonable, so I won't argue. Kenzi and I already took the liberty of amping up the barriers and security around the farm." Gram was no doubt angry that somebody had managed to breach the security enough to install a bomb. "Hale is working on that as we speak. Dyson and Tamsin are organizing patrols. Vex even volunteered to bar hop tonight to make sure nothing bad went down."

"I'm sure that was such a sacrifice for him." Bo rolled her eyes in amusement before leaning a bit on Lauren and letting out a deep breath before almost stumbling into her. "Okay, yeah, maybe we should have actually slept last night."

"Normally, I would've suggested it immediately, but I didn't know you hadn't slept while away until we were too far in to really pay attention or care about anything else."

"We do have a zone."

"Your grandfather will be here soon, dear, so why not go get ready and we can start making those lists." Gram pulled Bo into a loose embrace, obviously sending warmth to her. Bo instantly perked and felt loved, and Lauren felt that through the connection.

"I'll check my patient list and see if we can't have them all moved to one block." Lauren loved that she didn't have to leave Bo's side as she did that. Janelle was great at seeing patients in her absence, so unless the patients were pressing cases, Lauren wouldn't even have to go in today if she didn't want. She actually wanted to, though. For some reason, being a doctor, even if only for a few hours, felt more important today than it ever had.

So, Lauren and Bo left Gram behind in the kitchen. Bo went to get showered, Lauren checked her appointments from her tablet calendar, happy that only one patient needed to be moved, and they prepared for their first official day as queens of the fae. This was how they were going to change the world, one day at a time.


	44. The End is the Beginning

Bo drove her old Camaro along the single lane road that led back home. The fall weather had since approached, and she found she loved the changing colors as she passed by all of the scenery. This drive reminded her of how she grew up, and Bo couldn't help but reflect on how much happier she felt making this drive home than she ever did when she was going to the farmhouse when she was younger. She been running from that life for years, so it was funny how she found herself back in the same type of place.

Today felt like a longer drive than usual, but maybe that was because tonight was her first night off from work in what felt like forever. She deserved this day off, but she was glad all of the hard setup was on its way to over. She knew there was still a lot to do, but pushing through these few weeks was starting to actually worth it now. For the first, Bo actually felt confident this whole queen thing was going to work. If she were honest, she was ready, but she didn't believe she would be good at it. She was happy to find the opposite was true.

Still, it had been nothing but meeting here and there the past few weeks, and Bo was already tired of it. She wanted the action; she _missed_ the action. Around the third meeting she had with Evony and Lachlan about their contracts, Bo was actually wishing for anything to keep her occupied. She even begged Dyson to skip a meeting with her so they could just go patrol and find trouble. At least Lauren had her patients and science stuff, so she got out of a lot of the boring meetings in the city even though the doctor herself was the one who had helped make the to do list. She was smart about the political things, though; Bo was truly appreciative of her wife's upbringing now, even if she didn't like the methods.

The only thing that kept Bo awake most meetings was that Lauren promised after the first few months, she could go back to taking cases. Only, this time, the cases would be more intense, and she would actually be the one meting out the justice and not needing to worry about stepping on any fae political toes.

A solid foundation. Bo needed to remember that. She didn't want to finally sit down on her throne only to have it crumble beneath her. Wasn't that the point of her reflection period? She was preparing for their future, she knew, and she did want to do this right.

Now that everything was settled with Evony and Lachlan, Bo felt like she could breathe easier as she drove the long hour back to the farm. She had made plans with Kenzi to go out to the Red Door tonight, but she wasn't surprised when Kenzi texted earlier that she just wanted to stay home and snuggle on the couch with some wine and watch old movies she had found in Gram's movie closet. Things really had changed, and it was time Bo actually talk to her best friend about branching out from their group so she could meet someone. Lauren was right that Kenzi held on too tightly. She was a great mother, a loyal best friend, and an excellent assistant manager, which was the title Gram officially gave her last week since she pretty much helped manage the farm already.

In all of the craziness they had been through the last five years together, Bo could say a lot of things about her friend. The one thing she couldn't was that she knew without a doubt that Kenzi was 100% happy. She had been overshadowed since meeting Bo. It was always about Bo's problems; hell, Bo didn't even know Kenzi was dating that Nate guy, and she claimed she was desperately in love with him, and she definitely didn't really know Alexie's father until Lauren questioned whether Kenzi was pregnant. Even then, she never had a chance to officially meet him. Bo felt selfish for hogging the spotlight in their friendship, but it wasn't like Kenzi to even attempt to steal the show.

Still, Bo wanted her best friend to understand that it was okay to find a life outside of them if she wanted. Even though she was confident Kenzi wouldn't want to leave, Bo wanted to let her know she wasn't tied down and doomed to a lonely existence if she chose to stay. She wanted Kenzi to know she was just as free as any human in this world now.

So, Lauren was going to watch Briann and Alexie tonight while Bo dragged Kenzi to the Red Door whether she liked it or not. It was good for everyone to see her out on the town, and she would get to spend quality time with one of the most important people in her life. It was long overdue and something Bo was going to make sure happened at least once a week. She had come to terms with Kenzi's human lifespan, and Bo wanted to spend every chance she could with her despite the crazy her life had just become.

When she parked the car, Bo saw her wife coming out of the barn lab's entrance. She waved and couldn't hide her smile. In all of her dreams growing up, coming home to a beautiful wife on a beautiful farm had never been in her fantasy files. She was glad it wasn't because it made the reality that much more enjoyable.

Bo hopped out of the car, not bothering to lock it since she planned on coming back out with Kenzi within the hour anyways. Lauren gave her a look that told her it was still necessary, so she rolled her eyes before locking the car and walking along the gravel to meet Lauren.

This was how they first met: on this gravel driveway, just staring at each other. Bo wished she could remember what the first thing she ever said to Lauren was, but the memory of instantly feeling the connection was all she really needed to know. She could remember the doctor being awkward and nervous, and Bo could remember being instantly drawn to her energy and adorable nerdiness. She was a goner from that first moment, and Bo was proud to admit it.

"You need to lock your door, even if you'll only be a minute. You're going to have opposition, and these are crucial months." Lauren shouldered her leather briefcase satchel over her matching brown leather jacket. Bo just walked closer to her and kissed her in greeting. Sometimes, it was the only way to insure Lauren stopped being so logical.

"'Honey, I'm so glad you're home' would've worked better." Bo leaned in and kissed her lightly again. The weather was beautiful and perfect, and she felt the sudden urge to just be with her wife. It was something they hadn't really done since this whole thing started, and it was something Bo desperately wanted at the moment. "Take a walk with me?"

"Don't you have a Kenzi date?" Lauren arched an eyebrow, but Bo felt her wife's aura fly off the charts at even the mention of being alone together. The thought of taking Lauren into the woods and having her way with her was quite an appealing thought to Bo, especially considering their sex life had been nonexistent the past few weeks since they started going to meetings. If something didn't interrupt their attempts at hurried intimacy, then they would be too exhausted when they fell into bed at night. Bo was hungry, she could admit, though she could also admit her original intentions for the walk were innocent. Now? Not so much.

"Kenzi and I will have all night. I want to spend some time with you right now." Bo grabbed Lauren's briefcase from her and jogged to lock it in the car before jogging just as quickly back and immediately wrapping their fingers together. Instead of caring where they were going, Bo just led them along the fields, and they didn't hurry at all. "How was work?"

"Oh, you know science. She's such a cruel mistress." Lauren leaned her body a little closer as they passed along the field where Ferdinand had impaled Bo all those years ago.

"Mmm, as long as you know what's waiting for you at home." Bo leaned over and slowly placed a kiss on Lauren's cheek, never stopping their movements.

"How were your meetings?" Lauren actually blushed at the simple act, which made Bo almost swoon like a cliched lovestruck teenager.

"I thought I was going to strangle Lachlan today." Bo huffed out her laughter, though she wasn't really that amused at the time. "Of all people, I expected Evony to be the difficult one in this. I am so glad they signed those documents today so I can officially start delegating things to them. Did I tell you I was tired of all these damned meetings?"

"You may have mentioned it once or twice, dear." Lauren's smirk and genuine happiness were contagious. No wonder Bo was always so much calmer after a long day's work when she came home to find Lauren there. It made everything worth it. "I wish I could tell you that you'd never have to go to one again after this, but I'd be lying. No sense in giving you false hope when your life from now will be riddled with meetings and frustrated fae. I'm glad Lachlan finally signed. At least you can relax tonight. You deserve it, and I know Kenzi has been looking forward to it all day. I think she wants you all to herself tonight, though, so whatever you were planning about the Red Door can wait. Just spend time with her. You can have that big talk and start working on Kenzi's love life next week."

"Yes, dear." Bo smiled, actually kind of looking forward to a night in now. She had dancing and drinking on the brain because that was what she and Kenzi used to do all of the time. Lauren was right that tonight should be just about them, though. If Kenzi wanted wine and old movies, then they would watch wine and old movies. "If Lachlan didn't sign, I was really close to pulling out my pen knife and dishing out my own brand of negotiation." Bo wasn't kidding, either, and she loved that Lauren stiffened because she knew that. "I kept my cool. I can be civil and mature sometimes."

"Sometimes, yes." Lauren smirked, though she kept looking ahead as they continued to walk. Bo wasn't surprised when they found themselves by the lake. It was a familiar path. It was a magical place that always just seemed to call for them whenever they decided to take a walk around the farm. This was the spot where Lauren's grandparents got engaged. It was where Bo finally convinced Lauren to give in completely, too. This was the spot where Lauren used to play and had some of her fondest memories of her childhood. This was where Bo wanted their kids to grow up and build fond memories. It was the perfect place, and Lauren seemed to know it, too.

"Do you think Gram would mind us building the house here?" Bo pulled Lauren over to the worn down shelter by the lake. It was the place she had proposed official fae marriage, so why not propose they build a life here in the same spot? Plus, Bo could admit she needed to sit down from the walk. It wasn't that far from the main house, but it was far enough to count after she'd been sitting in meetings all day. No wonder her back was sore. Maybe she could talk Lauren into some quick healing while they were out here.

"I think she'll be delighted we finally made a choice." Lauren chuckled as she leaned against the back of the shelter. The bench wasn't the most comfortable, but it was something Bo could work with in a hungry state. She closed her eyes when she felt them flash, but Lauren's hand was cupping her cheek the next instant. It was warm and loving, and Bo opened her eyes to see the same expression and emotions coming back at her. "I love you, and you're doing a great job. With everything moving so fast lately, I've not had time to just sit and tell you that. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks." Bo pulled Lauren's hand into her lap, playing with her fingers and loving how just seeing the wedding band on her wife made her feel complete. Was this really her version of happily ever after? Sure, they had a lot of things to overcome, and they had a really long life to look forward to; even longer than they had planned for, apparently, which made Bo breathe a little easier knowing she had more time. "I love you, too, and I couldn't imagine doing this without you."

"When Briann gets old enough, you know we're going to have to watch her like a hawk, right? She already loves the water, so living next to it is just setting ourselves up for potential trouble." Lauren still didn't seem to protest, though.

"We're good parents, and I know that doesn't always mean anything, but I have faith. This is the right place." Bo could feel it in the air, and it was more than Lauren's blinding sexual energy. No, it was definitely more than that. This place was somehow…home. She let out a deep breath. "We need to get back soon."

"You know, it is kind of secluded out here, and I can tell you're hungry." Lauren's energy caused Bo to bite her lip in anticipation. There was no way she could even stop to be playful for very long when Lauren looked at her like that.

"Just shut up and kiss me, Dr. Lewis." Bo leaned forward and pulled their bodies together, not caring if she got a splinter from the worn wooden bench as she pushed Lauren onto her back without breaking contact. Instead, she just wanted to focus on the moment.

She was a succubus. She was a mother. She was a wife. She was a Queen.

Most of all, though, she was Bo. She knew who she was without a doubt now. Bo Dennis was no longer a lost girl, and she and Lauren were going to change the world together.

This was just the beginning.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Is this really it? This is both a sad and wonderful day for me. Three books worth of Bo/Lauren drama and romance, and all written before the drama/romance of season three canon! I am so thankful for everyone who read this story and stuck with me from beginning to the end. It was a long journey, one that started as a research project and just turned out being something I love.

Even though story this trilogy has ended, that does not mean I will not be around. I had another one of my patented crazy dreams back in January (about the time I was finished writing this), so I actually have another story penned. I just have to sit down and write it, even though it will be just one book and not a trilogy and will deal with all human emotions and issues. I am loving the new season and am happy to see there will be a fourth. I am loving all of the stories popping up and finally continuing. Keep them coming!

I also want to send a special note to those who participated in my research. My thesis ended up being wonderful, and thanks to you all, I am now a fanfiction person for life! My carpal tunnel does not thank you, though. :)

My sincerest thanks for a wonderful experience sharing this story. It has been a pleasure. See you again soon!


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